No Regrets
by MyImmortal329
Summary: Carol Peletier has had enough of her cheating husband, so she decides to take some sweet revenge, but when she finds Daryl Dixon, she finds she may have found much more than she bargained for in a one-night stand. AU/No Zombie Apocalypse
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from The Walking Dead. They belong to the creators of the comic series and television show. I'm just borrowing them for my own entertainment, and I hope that others will enjoy my take on them as well. Thanks to the creators of show for giving us such amazing characters with such depth.

Author's Note: This is my first attempt at an AU Walking Dead story, so let me know what you think. Any suggestions are, of course, welcomed!

No Regrets

Carol Peletier was on the prowl. She'd never done this, never tried to pick up men at a bar, because frankly, she'd found it trashy and completely void of class. She'd never really been one for drinking, which was why she'd had one glass of wine to calm her nerves and had nursed a glass of ice water for the rest of the night.

Her sights were set on the man sitting across from her at the other end of the bar. His long hair fell into his eyes when he looked down at his beer, and when he would peer up, looking at her through the curtain of soft, brain hair, she felt a blot of white heat run from her thundering heart straight to her throbbing core. She wasn't quite certain if it was the man throwing occasional glances her way or if it was the fact that she was planning on cheating on her husband that had her so worked up, but whatever it was was doing things to her that she'd never felt before.

She'd been a devoted wife for the past twelve years, and then a week ago, she'd discovered her husband was screwing his secretary. It was so disgusting and so cliché. Instead of confronting him about it, she'd thought on it for a week and had finally decided that there had to be more to life than being the wife of Ed Peletier and the receptionist at Dr. Rhee's office downtown.

Turn about was fair play, after all, and if he could have fun on the side, so could she. It didn't have to mean anything. Just one good fuck, and maybe then she'd have the curiosity out of her system so she could think with a level head. She'd probably leave Ed, but at least she could have a little fun first.

Carol's cell phone beeped, and she realized she had a text from her best friend, Michonne. She checked her messages and found herself laughing as she scrolled through Michonne's last five texts.

_Carol? Did you kill Ed yet?_

_Come on, girl, give me the juicy details. What'd he say when u told him?_

_Really? Ur not gonna tell your best friend?_

_Carol! CAROL?! Answer your messages, damn it!_

_Ok, if you don't reply in the next five minutes, I'm gonna assume you killed him and need help hiding the body, and that's why you aren't answering your texts. Just let me know if I need to bring plastic wrap and a shovel. Love you, girl!_

Carol typed out a quick response.

_Mich, I'm fine. I didn't confront Ed. Maybe later. Right now, I have a better idea_.

It wasn't even a minute later when Michonne responded back.

_If Andre wasn't teething and having a total toddler meltdown, I'd be there for you. Call me if you need me, k? Love you._

Carol smiled and shook her head, texting her to tell her she loved her too. When she put the phone down, she looked back up to see him staring at her. A little smile quirked up on her lips, and she took another sip of ice water as a warm flush filled her cheeks.

She stood up, gathering her courage, and she straightened out the little black dress she'd chosen. Perhaps that was a bit cliché, too, but she really didn't care. The more she noticed him watching her, the more her confidence boosted. Here she was, mid-forties, and she was eyeing this guy across the bar. There was something sexy about the way he watched her, his eyes playing over her like he was memorizing her or something. She felt a chill run down her spine, and her knees felt weak as she walked around the bar, moving in on him.

"Is this seat taken?"

"Don't look like it," he said coolly, his eyes moving from her face down to the obvious cleavage. That dress didn't leave much to the imagination, and she suddenly felt a little foolish, but the way he was looking at her cleared that up right away. The feeling of foolishness quickly gave way to feeling desired. She sat down next to him, and he watched her cross and uncross her legs, as if she was trying to figure out exactly which was the best way to sit. She didn't do this often. Hell, she probably never did this before in her life, he figured, and he couldn't help but smirk. "Name's Daryl."

"I'm Carol. And that's really all we need to know about each other, am I right?" The tone of her voice was inviting, sultry, and he felt his dick twitch in his pants. She looked around. "I've never been here before."

"Me neither," he muttered, taking another swig of his beer. He made a mental note that he'd be coming back for more often if she was going to start coming around, too. Carol tapped her fingers nervously on the bar counter, and he eyed her, watching the way she chewed her lip nervously. His eyes moved from her lips to her long, creamy neck. He eyed her hair, styled short and a little spiky, grey but gorgeous. Her makeup was subtle, but he could tell she'd put it on with an heir of uncertainty about herself. No, this woman wasn't the kind of woman who picked up strangers in a bar. He could tell by the way she looked over her shoulder, almost as if she were expecting someone to walk through the door.

She intrigued him. He hadn't even come looking for a hook up, but when he'd set his sights on her, his body had come up with a whole other game plan for the evening.

She licked her lips and gently rubbed the back of her neck, and he felt himself get a little harder in his pants. Carol noticed the way he adjusted himself on the bar stool, and her eyes were immediately drawn down to his erection, which he tried to cover casually with his coat.

"You wanna get out of here?" she asked, her gaze raking up his body from his groin to his lips, and he let out a muffled choking sound before nodding. He stood up off the barstool and removed his coat, wrapping it around her shoulders instinctively. She glanced up at him as his eyes bore down on hers, and she smiled a little.

"S'cold outside," he muttered, feeling like a complete idiot. _She wants sex, you dumbass, not a knight in shining armor_.

"Thanks. That's sweet," she said carefully. She eyed the door, and he followed her gaze. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

The nerves were coiling in her stomach when Daryl slid the keycard into the hotel room door. They'd gotten a nice room, and the elevator ride up to the thirteenth floor had been the most awkward forty seconds of their lives. Now, as they walked inside, Carol shrugged Daryl's coat off into a chair, tossed her handbag down with it and turned to face him.

"I've never done this before," she admitted. _Yeah, like he really believes that. He's probably heard plenty of women tell him that before_.

"I figured," he said quietly, his hands moving to her waist, trying to figure out how he'd let himself get into this situation. He'd never done this before either, and his trembling hands were probably giving him away.

"Yeah? How so?" she asked.

"You don't look like the kind of woman that picks up guys a lot. Plus, you're wearin' a wedding ring." Carol's eyes flashed down to the gold band on her finger.

"Oh," she murmured. She slid it off her finger, staring at it for a good few seconds before putting it down on the nightstand. "Does that bother you?" He shrugged a little.

"Dunno. All I figure is that a guy must've done somethin' pretty stupid to piss you off this much."

"Who says he pissed me off?"

"You looked pissed off when you walked in the bar," he said quietly. Carol raised an eyebrow. "I was sittin' somewhere else when you came in. When I saw you sit at the bar, I moved." Carol smiled a little. Her hands moved up his arms and over his broad shoulders, feeling the way his muscles jumped under her touch. She saw a look of pure anxiety cross over his face when she leaned toward him, but when her hand moved to caress his cheek, she saw him relax a little.

She pressed her lips against his, tentatively at first, but when she decided she quite liked the feeling of his lips, she ran her tongue over his lower lip, getting him to open up to her. She moaned softly when his hands gripped her hips and pulled her in close, his tongue darting out to caress hers. She could taste a sweetness behind the bitterness of the beer he'd been drinking, and she let herself get taken over by the sensation of another man's lips on hers, kissing her in a way she'd never been kissed before.

His hands moved to rest on her upper arms, and she noticed how calloused and worn with work they were, and she liked the feeling of them against her smooth skin. His mouth was on her neck now, and she arched her neck, reveling in the sensation of his tongue, lips and teeth working together. When his mouth moved to her ear, her knees nearly gave out.

Daryl's hand was on her back now, and she heard the sound of the zipper teeth opening up as he worked. As he pulled the zipper down, he trailed his fingers along after it, feeling her smooth skin, hearing the soft moans escape her lips, and when the zipper went down as far as it could go, he pulled back, looking into her eyes, as if begging the question of if she really wanted to go through with it. It touched her somehow. This stranger she met in a bar seemed to have more courtesy for her dignity than her own husband did, and when she gave him a little nod, he gently slipped the dress off her shoulders, and it pooled to the floor at her feet, leaving her standing in her bra and panties, a nice, lacy black set she'd picked out just for this night.

She stood before him, the cool air in the room hitting her and nearly knocking the wind out of her. His gaze dragged from her face down her body, his face reddening a little as he saw her chest heave, her breasts pushing at the thin fabric of her bra. His mouth watered, and he pulled her in close, kissing her neck, feeling the waves of desire pulling him under. He might not have been a man who went home with women he didn't know very often, but he sure as hell was a man, and this woman was something special.

She shivered under his gaze when he pulled back again, but he simply ran his hands down her shoulder and down her waist, tugging her closer, kissing the spot between her shoulder and her right breast, his tongue tasting her skin, making her knees feel weaker by the moment.

"Oh," she murmured, her hands dragging through his hair, tightening just enough to let him know that this was a very, very good feeling. He grunted, and they were walking—her forward, him backward—toward the bed. The back of his knees hit the mattress, and he fell back, bringing her down on top of him. The feel of her pressed against him wasn't something he was prepared for, and when her hips brushed against his erection, he groaned, hoping to hell he'd be able to hold on, because this was sure to be one hell of a ride.

The moment she felt his erection pressed against her hip, it became very real to her. She pulled back a little, the first hint of uncertainty in her eyes, and he rested his head back against the pillow. Her hands curled against the neck of his shirt, and she suddenly wanted to feel him, skin-to-skin against her. She knew she was cheating on her husband, and she knew she might have regrets in the morning, but tonight, there would be no regrets. She was going to let herself feel, she was going to pick up the pieces of her shattered confidence, and she was going to follow _her_ wants, _her_ needs. She'd spent way too long trying to be the kind of wife that she thought Ed wanted, when it seemed she'd never really known him to begin with.

Her hands moved to help him out of his shirt. His fingers caught her wrist, and she froze.

"I didn't bring…I mean, I wasn't fixin' to meet nobody tonight." Carol moved off of him, walking across the room to the chair she'd discarded his coat and her handbag into. She grabbed the purse and fumbled with the latch before pulling out a couple of condoms. His eyes watched hers as she blushed a little. She'd come out with one purpose tonight, and he was suddenly wondering if he was up to fulfilling her needs in the way she needed them to be fulfilled.

She crossed the room again, placing the little packets on the bedside table. He tugged at her waist, pulling her back down on him, and they worked together to rid him of his shirt. When she tossed it away, her fingers gently brushed over the coarse hair of his chest, feeling the firm muscles underneath, and she leaned down, kissing him hungrily. He groaned when her knee brushed his groin, and she gave him a sheepish smile before scooting down a little, kissing his neck and his chest, taking one of his nipples between her teeth. He hissed in a sharp breath, and when Carol swirled her tongue around his nipple, he clutched the sheets, feeling like he might come in his pants right then, and then it would all be over in one embarrassing, messy second.

Her hands were on his belt now, her lithe fingers working at the buckle before moving off of him so he could raise his hips and she could slide it out through the loops. He groaned when she settled back down, her knees framing his hips, his erection straining against his jeans, her heat seeping through the material, overwhelming him.

Suddenly, his hands were on her hips, and he was turning her to lay on her back, and he was kissing her, feeling her fingers dig into his shoulder as he moved south, kissing the hollow of her neck, the valley between her breasts, the skin above her belly button, the skin above the band of her panties, and she gasped when she felt his hot breath hit her. She leaned forward, propping herself on her elbows, watching as he slipped a finger inside of her panties, drawing up her hot slickness with his index finger. That one swipe had her heart nearly beating out of her chest, and she cried out, her core throbbing, needing release.

He pulled his pants down, kicking them off and pushing his underwear along with them, and her eyes flickered with passion when she saw the length of him bobbing in front of him, the head swollen and dark. She felt herself growing wetter at the thought that he was like that for her, and that he wanted this in the way she wanted it.

His fingers slid into the band of her panties, and she moved her hips to help him slide them off of her. She spread her legs in front of him, and he noticed the way her thighs trembled, and he gently ran his hands up her legs before settling his hips down against hers. His lips met hers again in a gentle kiss, and she whimpered softly against his mouth. He reached over onto the nightstand, grabbing one of the packets. He tore it open, slipping the condom out, and he rolled to his side, and she watched as he slid it over his length, worrying for a moment if it was big enough. He was a good deal larger than Ed, and she suddenly felt a rush of panic at the thought of taking him in.

When the condom was finally on, he looked at her, his face red, his chest heaving, and she stroked his shoulder. He moved over her again, kissing her, pulling down the cups of her bra to expose her hardened, pink nipples, which he took into his mouth one at a time, teasing into even harder little buds as she trembled against him, her breaths coming in uneven, shallow gasps as she tried desperately to keep herself from flipping him over and impaling herself on him.

She arched her back up, and she helped him unclasp her bra. He quickly discarded it over his shoulder and claimed her lips with his own once more.

He was pushing at her center now, and she gasped, her hands gripping his upper arms.

"Gentle," she said softly. "Please." He pressed his forehead against her shoulder as he eased into her, marveling at the way she tightened around him as he filled her. She cried out at the pain of him stretching her, and he pulled his head back.

"I'm hurtin' you," he murmured. She shook her head desperately, her grip on his arms tightening.

"No. Don't stop. Just…don't." She bit her lip and arched her back as he continued moving into her, squeezing his eyes shut tightly as her slick, hot walls enveloped him.

When he'd pushed in as far as he could go, he looked down at her again, seeing the way her mouth fell open as she struggled for breath, the way her eyes were shut, adjusting to the new feeling of him being inside of her, and he became entranced by the way her breasts moved as her chest trembled and heaved with each gasp for air.

Lowering his face down next to hers, he pressed soft kisses to her jaw and her ear as he let her adjust. When he felt her fingers relax on his arm, he began to move inside of her.

The sensation of being filled completely by him was overpowering. She felt tears spring to her eyes as the discomfort gave way to pleasure, and as he moved slowly, she felt the waves surging up on her, an orgasm approaching faster than she'd expected, and when she wrapped one leg around his hip, the angle brought about a new sensation of pleasure, as he stroked a bundle of nerves somewhere inside of her that had her clenching tightly around him.

"Fuck," he grunted against her neck, his pace quickening as he felt his balls already starting to tighten. She cried out helplessly as his hand moved between them, his thumb finding her clit and stroking it in small circles, trying to help her get there before him, so it wouldn't all be for nothing.

When he felt a rush of warmth surrounding him, followed by her head throwing back against the pillow, he knew she'd come over the edge, so he grabbed her hips and held on for dear life. He picked up the pace just a little, not wanting to hurt her, but when her nails dug into his shoulder, he took that as a sign and picked up the pace.

"Yeah," she cried out. "Oh God. Daryl, harder." With a grunt, Daryl slammed into her, hearing her cries against his neck. She wrapped herself around him, needing more of him, needing to keep feeling this inexplicable pleasure.

He captured her lips with his own as she cried her own pleasure out into his mouth, and within moments of her walls squeezing around him again, he came, and he stilled inside of her, collapsing against her, feeling the heat of her body mixed with his as their ragged breaths became the only sounds in the room.

Daryl rolled off of her, turning to his side, sliding off the condom and depositing it into the trash can. She looked away while he did so, feeling a little awkward now, but when he turned back toward her, she turned to face him, and he pulled her close.

"You're amazing," she murmured, tracing his jaw with her fingertips.

"You're pretty amazin' yourself," he said with a sleepy smile. She grinned and leaned in to kiss him, feeling a little overwhelmed at what she'd just done. But when his hands moved over her bare back, she relaxed, and she let herself feel his strong arms wrapping around her.

"I shouldn't stay," she murmured.

"You don't have to go," he offered. "We got this room all night." She smiled when he kissed her neck again. His hands were moving over her, and she couldn't think, and at this moment, she didn't want to. She just let him pull her against him, let his mouth claim hers, make her his for this moment, for the night. She knew it would all be gone tomorrow, but she could enjoy it now.

So, she curled herself into him and willed herself to stop thinking and stop worrying. It was just sex. She'd never see him again after tomorrow. What was the harm in staying one night?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When Carol woke the next morning, the first thing she realized was that she was curled up naked against a very warm, very naked man. The second thing she noticed was that the alarm clock on the bedside table read 11:45. It was nearly noon. Not only had she overslept, but she had already missed half of a day at work.

Carol quickly slipped out of the bed, untangling herself from Daryl's limbs, trying hard not to wake him. She reached for the phone and dialed her office, telling them she was sick and wouldn't be in at all that day. When she turned back toward the bed, Daryl was awake and watching her, stretched out naked on the bed, his dick semi-hard against his thigh.

"Mornin'," he said sleepily, scratching the rough stubble on his chin. Carol felt her hands go numb. She licked her lips and felt a bit embarrassed about standing naked like this in front of him, but he wasn't covering up, and the way he was looking at her told her she had nothing to be embarrassed about. This was new. She was used to waking up in the morning with Ed already in the shower, giving her time to throw a robe on and go start breakfast.

"Morning," she said quietly, a blush in her cheeks, her jaw a little tense as she walked across the room. She could feel his eyes on her, and it made her feel things she had forgotten how to feel.

"You leavin'?"

"I'm late for work," she said quietly, sitting down on the edge of the bed, reaching for her bra that was hanging over the nightstand.

"Thought you just told 'em you weren't comin' in today." She froze. "Check out ain't 'til one." She could hear the hope in his voice, and it made her smile a little.

"I know I've never done…_this_ before with a stranger, but I'm pretty sure a one-night stand is just that. One night." She felt the bed shift as he sat up, scooting closer to her, coming to sit behind her, his hands on her shoulders. She moaned softly when his fingers brushed over her collarbone, and she felt his warm breath on the back of her neck.

"You got someplace else to be, then?" he wondered. She could feel a heat stirring at her core again, and she leaned her head forward at the feel of his lips against the spot on her back between her shoulder blades that drove her crazy. He felt her tremble and smiled against her skin.

"Can't…think of one off the top of my head," she murmured, leaning back against his chest as his hands moved down her arms, swept over her stomach and moved to her thighs, where he stroked her and felt the heat of her skin against his fingertips. As his lips moved up the back of her neck and around to the side, one hand coming up to cup a breast, as the other dipped between her legs, caressing her slick folds, hot and inviting, she turned her head and closed her eyes, feeling his lips overpower hers, his tongue caressing her lower lip, begging entrance, and when she opened up, she let the world fall away around her and gave in to the feel of his hands and his mouth all over her.

At one o'clock, Carol turned in her room key, and Daryl grabbed her hand, pulling her into a quiet hallway. She eyed him, wondering what he was going to say, hoping it wouldn't put a mar on their perfectly perfect evening together, two strangers just giving in to passion, no thinking necessary.

"You're married."

"Yeah," Carol said quietly. "For how much longer, I don't know."

"Ya don't strike me as the kind of woman who would…"

"Do something like this?" she asked, raising her eyebrow. "I didn't ever think I had it in me. I guess when you're hurt enough it can make you crazy enough to do just about anything." She saw a pained look on his face. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean…" Then she stopped herself. Why was she trying to soothe the feelings of a one-night-stand anyway? She was never going to see this man again, and she sure as hell didn't owe him any explanations. "Let's just say goodbye, Daryl." He eyed her, and she felt like he was looking right through her.

"That what you want?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "You were just supposed to be…"

"I get it," he said quietly. "Ain't gonna see me beggin'." He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. "Had a great time last night."

"So did I," Carol admitted. "More than I expected." She found herself blushing when his deep blue eyes peered at her beneath the fringe of his long hair. "Thank you for…for…"

"You thankin' me for sex?" he asked, his brow raised, and she couldn't help but laugh.

"I guess I am," she giggled.

"Ya know," he said quietly, his fingers gently closing around her wrist, "I ain't never done this. And I don't go to bars like that all the time."

"Me neither."

"So I think…maybe we both ended up there last night for a reason." He saw the look in her eyes, and he continued. "If you change your mind, there's a diner down the street, _Joe's_. I might be there tonight, 'round eight o'clock."

"Daryl," she said with a shake of her head, "don't count on me being there. Like I said, I _am_ married, and as much as my marriage is in question right now, it doesn't change the fact that…"

"Yeah, I know," he muttered. He let go of her, and he backed away. "Just think about it." He leaned in, pressed a kiss to her cheek, and then he was gone, leaving her wondering what the hell she'd gotten herself into.

Carol got home to an empty house, and when she turned her cell phone on, she had a string of messages.

The first four were from Ed.

_Honey? Where are you? I'm worried about you._

_Carol? This isn't like you. Every time I call, the phone goes right to voicemail. Tell me you're ok._

_Carol, damn it, what's going on?_

_You better have a good damn explanation for this._

The next several were from Michonne.

_Ok, Carol, Ed's blowing up my phone with text messages. He thinks I'm hiding you or something._

_You better call me as soon as you get done doing whatever it is you're doing!_

_Ed's really getting on my nerves. Do me a favor and call him before I say something I'll regret._

_Whatever it is you're doing, I want details, Carol!_

Carol groaned and leaned against the kitchen counter, putting her phone down. She leaned her head in her hands and yawned, feeling the quiet solitude surrounding her. She picked her phone back up and dialed Michonne's cell.

"What happened to you?!" came the worried answer from her best friend.

"Michonne, I'm alright. I promise," Carol said softly.

"Where were you? You didn't do anything stupid, did you?"

"Define stupid," Carol said with a nervous laugh.

"Uh-oh," Michonne murmured. "Are you ok? You're not hurt are you?"

"I promise you, I'm fine. I'm going to have a time dealing with Ed later, but…"

"Carol, he sounded really upset," Michonne pointed out. "Do you want me to come over?"

"Michonne, I've been married to Ed for twelve years. He might have a temper, but he won't hurt me."

"You also didn't think he'd never cheat on you," Michonne offered. "I'm worried about you, Carol."

"I'll be alright."

"Okay." Michonne didn't sound entirely convinced, but she figured changing the subject might get her some different answers. "So where were you?"

"I just went out."

"Out? Like…with someone?"

"Michonne!"

"Hey, I get it. I'm not judging."

"Look, I'm exhausted," Carol said quietly. "I'm gonna go shower, and then I have to start dinner."

"You're really cooking for Ed?" Michonne asked skeptically. "I mean, the man cheated on you."

"Well, I'm starving, and Ed can't cook to save his life. As pissed off as I am, I'm not going to starve him to death. Besides, I think he and I have a lot to talk about."

"Alright, but when you're ready, I want details!" Michonne pressed. Carol laughed.

"Alright, alright," she promised. "Just…don't worry about me. I can take care of myself."

"Oh, I don't doubt that," Michonne pointed out, "but you know I'll be there if you need me, right? And that includes kicking Ed's ass to the curb. I'd be more than happy to help you out with that."

"Alright," Carol said quietly. "Talk to you later." She hung up and headed upstairs to start her shower, smelling the faint trace of cigarette smoke and Daryl's cologne on her skin. She passed the small bedroom by the stairs, not daring to look in as she usually did when she walked by. She just couldn't. Not this morning.

In the bathroom, she stared at herself in the mirror half-expecting to see something different about herself. But the same blue eyes, the same short, graying hair, the same weary expression that came from years in a not-so-happy marriage staring back at her. She sighed and leaned her forehead against the mirror, yawning and trying not to think about the look in his eyes when he asked her to meet him tonight. The thing was, she wanted to. She'd much rather be sharing his interesting company rather than sitting across from Ed and unraveling their marriage through words.

The more she thought about Daryl, the less she wanted to think about Ed, and so she decided, again, to stop thinking. Instead, she pulled herself into the shower, washed away the events of last night and tried to focus on tonight, on confronting Ed, on telling him their marriage was over.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When Carol pulled herself out of the shower, she heard the phone ringing, so she pulled her robe on and rushed down to answer the phone in the hall.

"Hello?"

"Carol? Honey? Where have you been?" She sighed.

"Hi, Ed," she muttered, trying to control the tone of her voice.

"I was worried sick. You didn't answer my texts. You didn't call."

"I'm sorry, Ed. I worked late and had car trouble, and I ended up staying in town last night," she lied. "I didn't think you'd mind anyway."

"You didn't call."

"My phone was off. I'm home now though. Just getting ready to start your supper. Then I think we have some things to talk about." _No thank God you're alright? No, are you sure you're ok? Nobody kidnapped you? You didn't fall into bed with some gorgeous sex god that makes you knees turn to butter?_

"I won't be home," he replied. "I'm on my way to St. Louis on business. My boss was supposed to go but sent me instead. I'll be home in a couple days."

"Oh," Carol said, rolling her eyes, figuring he was lying through his teeth. "Well, alright. I'll just go out then."

"Sorry, honey," he said with that sappy slow drawl he always tried when he was trying to make up with her for being a jackass.

"Oh, it's fine. I saw a diner in town that I might like to try, anyway. Joe's."

"Well, that sounds good, honey. I'll be home Monday night. Late. Don't wait up." He hung up, and Carol turned the phone off, putting it down thoughtfully.

"Don't worry, Ed. I won't wait up for you." She glanced at the clock. It was only 2:30. Her stomach jumped with excitement and anxiety at the idea of meeting him tonight, seeing him again, doing something she knew she shouldn't be doing while she was married to Ed, but at the same time, he was doing the same thing with his secretary behind her back, so what was good for one was good for the other.

She took a deep breath and thought about Ed's words. He'd be back Monday night. It was Friday. The idea of having three whole days without Ed left her mind wandering to all sorts of ideas of what exactly she could do in that time with the handsome stranger she'd met last night. A little smile turned at the corners of her mouth, and she blushed. She knew she should probably feel a little guilty about it, but she doubted Ed felt guilty, so she decided she wasn't going to feel guilty either. Still, when she walked down the hall, past the little room by the stairs, she paused, closing her eyes for a moment, swallowing hard and trying to suppress the tugging feeling in her heart. She sighed softly and walked away.

Carol hurried to the door when the bell rang, and she smiled when she saw Michonne.

"Mom's watching Andre. I have two hours. Spill!" Michonne pushed her way into Carol's house, and Carol followed her to the kitchen. Michonne glanced around. "Ed's not here is he?"

"No, he's 'out of town.'" Michonne made a face at Carol's air quotes.

"So in other words…"

"He's with Tiffani…with an I."

"Oh how original," Michonne groaned. "Alright, so what the hell happened to you last night?" Michonne and Carol settled down on the loveseat in the living room, and Carol couldn't hide the blush that fell across her cheeks. "Oh hell, this is gonna be better than I thought. So who'd you meet?"

"Who says I met anybody?"

"Because I haven't seen you blush like that since you told me how you walked in on Glenn—excuse me—Dr. Rhee—and Maggie screwing around in an exam room. So, I figured it had something to do with sex."

"Jesus, Michonne!" Carol laughed, covering her face with her hands.

"I know you, Carol. You're my best friend. I know you better than you know you."

"Oh, please!" Carol muttered. Michonne laughed and scooted closer to Carol.

"So, spill. What's his name?"

"I'm not talking about this."

"What's he look like?"

"Be quiet."

"Was he good? I mean, if you're gonna go out there and have some fun, let's hope he'd be good."

"Oh my God," Carol laughed, shaking her head. "You're not going to quit until I give you a really juicy story, are you?"

"Nope," Michonne replied, crossing her arms across her chest, satisfied that she might be getting somewhere with her friend.

"When you're my age, you might understand what it means not to kiss and tell."

"When I'm your age, Andre will be turning into a teenager, and I won't have time to do anything but yell at him for acting like his father, because I know that's exactly what he's going to do, because he's my kid, and he's nothing like me. So let me get a head start on living vicariously." Carol rolled her eyes, and Michonne nudged her knee impatiently.

"Fine. Alright. I met him in a bar last night."

"Hot."

"Do you want to hear this or not?"

"Yes. Please." Michonne cleared her throat. "Continue."

"We met at a bar last night. We left the bar together." She stared at Michonne, whose face fell.

"That's it? That's all I get?"

"Yes," Carol said with a little smile. "That's all you get for now. I'm…kind of in shock about the whole thing."

"So you slept with him?" She noticed the look Carol gave her. "Don't you _even _tell me you're feeling guilty."

"This isn't me, Michonne," Carol said quietly. "I never thought I'd be the woman who cheated on her husband."

"You're not. You're the woman who got cheated on and then made a choice to do something about it."

"Yeah, having sex with someone else was probably not exactly the most constructive thing I could have done," she admitted.

"But it didn't hurt, did it?" Michonne asked with a laugh, getting a blush out of Carol.

"No, it didn't hurt. Well, it did hurt a little, but…"

"Ha, I knew it! He was good, huh?" Carol covered her face with her hands and felt the heat rising in her cheeks.

"He was…amazing," Carol murmured.

"Amazing? Damn, what, was he double joined or have a Guinness Book tongue or something?"

"What's wrong with you?" Carol asked, her face bright red.

"Sorry," Michonne replied, calming herself. "I'm living vicariously. Mike and I are going through a little dry spell."

"A little? Sounds like you two are in the Sahara right now," Carol pointed out. Michonne shrugged.

"Don't change the subject. So. This amazing sex god…are you gonna see him again?" Carol blushed and shrugged her shoulders.

"We'll see," she said with an innocent smile. "We'll see."

Carol tapped her fingers against the steering wheel nervously as she sat outside the diner. She'd been parked there for a good fifteen minutes trying to get up the courage to drag herself out of the car and into the diner. She felt an overwhelming dizziness and a tightness in her stomach at the thought that she might go in there, anticipating seeing him again, and he wouldn't be there.

The reality of her worrying that her one-night-stand was going to stand her up had her reeling. She suddenly felt very aware of the fact that she was planning to meet a man she barely knew to have sex with him again, because she knew her husband was 'out of town' and she could enjoy this without having to go home and explain to him where she'd been.

Still, when she put her hand on the handle of the door to open it, she felt an ache in her chest. She never had intended to be this kind of woman. She had been a happily married woman once-upon-a-time. She'd had a good job, a good husband—albeit a wears-the-pants kind of husband who wanted to be the primary bread winner and the center of attention—and had had what many women longed to have, but that seemed like so long ago. Ed was practically a stranger to her. He was more demanding, more possessive, and then, of course, there was the cheating aspect that she'd recently discovered. It was like the last several years of her life had been a lie, and she was finally coming out of the dark and discovering what there was to life that she'd been missing. Daryl had helped ease her into that light, even though all she'd meant for him to be was one good fuck and a happy memory. He'd looked at her with the kind of desire that she'd never seen from Ed. He'd touched her and kissed her in ways that Ed never would. He'd made her feel things she didn't know she was even capable of, and that all happened in the span of twelve hours or so.

She felt silly, putting so much thought into something that had happened once—ok, twice—but her heart was thudding in her chest and her body was already reacting to the fantasies in the back of her mind about what she and Daryl could do to each other tonight, and all of these thoughts were twisting together, leaving her feeling, at the very least, extremely confused.

A tap on her driver's side window startled her, and she jumped in her seat. It was then that she saw his eyes, shadowed by his long hair and the dark of night, staring down at her. Her cheeks reddened for about the thirtieth time that day, and she felt her mouth go dry. She rolled her window down, and she could smell the scent of his cologne hit her and send her mind flashing back to all the things he'd done to her last night. Her knees trembled, and she clutched the steering wheel.

"I don't know what I'm doing here," she admitted, as he bent down a little.

"You came," he murmured. "That's a start." She smiled and felt her body tense when he leaned in to press his lips against hers. He felt her nervous reaction, and he pulled back a little, watching her shiver in the car. "You hungry?"

"Not…really." She hadn't eaten a thing, but her stomach was too much of a jumble of nerves to have room for food at the moment.

"Wanna get out of here?" She found herself nodding wordlessly. "My car or yours?"

"Um…well, mine, I guess, since we're already here." She felt as if she was slowly sleeping into auto pilot mode, and this sexy vixen that she'd become last night was taking over. Her voice lowered and her gaze raked over his clean-shaven face and his button down shirt. "Hop in." He hurried around the car and opened the passenger door, sliding in next to her. As soon as he shut the door, his hand was on her knee, and his tongue was in her mouth, and she thought she might die. And as she opened her mouth to deepen their kiss, she decided that sexy vixen seemed to know exactly what she was doing, so she wasn't about to argue. Her body clearly knew what she wanted more than her head let her realize.

"You ready?" he murmured, as he broke the kiss and trailed his lips down her neck.

"More than ready," she murmured, before she turned her attention toward the road, started the car, and took off, destination unknown.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The ride to the hotel and the walk up to the room was a complete blur to Carol, but when she felt Daryl's hot, wet tongue on her back, none of the whens or hows seemed to matter anymore. All she could think about was how she wanted to feel more of his tongue on her, in her, everywhere. She gasped as his hands moved down her bare back and then hooked into her panties, dragging them down her hips. She raised her ass in the air, letting him get a good look as he slid the garment down her hips and legs.

She turned over in the bed and popped her foot upward just enough that the lacy little pair of panties went flying across the room. Daryl groaned, taking his already stiff dick in his hand. They had wasted no time in getting naked, and as Carol eyed him, lying back on the mattress and opening her legs to him, his body suddenly wanted everything at once. He wanted to taste her, to dive into her center and feel her heat surrounding his mouth. He wanted to bury himself inside of her, fuck her until she screamed his name and held onto him. He wanted to hear her cry his name and beg him for more. But most of all, he just wanted her. He couldn't pinpoint the reason she fascinated him so much, but he couldn't get enough of her.

Perhaps it was the secrecy surrounding it all. He literally knew nothing about her, except her name was Carol and that she was married, though she didn't seem too thrilled with that aspect. He knew that she wasn't the kind of woman that picked up strange men in bars, and even though she could lie to him and tell him whatever he wanted to hear, he somehow believed this. When he looked at her, he saw a woman who had lived most of her life reserved, restrained, holding back from being who she truly wanted to be. And as he saw her spread out before him on the bed, he wanted to open her up, to help her be that person, even if, to her, he was just a distraction from the wretched reality of her home life.

She bit her lip as she noticed the look he was giving her. It was like he was studying her, getting a sense of who she really was. This excited her and scared her at the same time, the way his deep, blue eyes poured over her body and always came back up to her face, her eyes, as if he was willing her to open up and give him a little piece of her.

She gasped when his hand moved up her thigh, and he wasted no time brushing his finger against her slick center. Her hips bucked forward involuntarily, and he placed his hand on her stomach, steadying her, feeling her body shake from the shock of the sudden intimacy.

"Oh God," she cried, arching her back as he inserted one finger inside of her, feeling her muscles contract around him. He arched over her, his lips pressing down on hers, feeling her opening up beneath him, and she gasped against his lips when he inserted another finger, gently pumping them in and out of her. "Daryl, please…" His lips moved down her jaw and her neck, and his tongue made lazy circles and trails down her body, teasing her nipples, circling her belly button, his teeth nipping at the flesh just above her soft mound of curls.

She gripped his hair between her fingers, and he grunted as she tugged a little, but he pawed her thighs open, and she shook beneath him, her legs shaking when his warm breath hit her and a fresh flood of her fluids drenched her core. She felt on fire when she looked down to see his eyes on hers as he leaned in to kiss her…there. His tongue darted out to circle her clit, and her hips bounced off the mattress, nudging his chin. He chuckled and held her hips down with one strong hand, as he explored her folds with his tongue and fingers. It didn't take long, what with the seemingly expert way he was touching her, and she was coming for him. The flush returned to her cheeks when he moved from between her legs, kissing his way back up her body.

When his lips met hers, she could taste herself on him, and it was surprisingly a huge turn on. When she felt his dick heavy against her thigh, she gasped softly, her nails dragging against the skin on his shoulder. He kissed the hollow of her throat, rolling away for a moment to grab a condom. He lay on his back, fidgeting with the wrapper, and she crawled over him, straddling him, a knee on either side of his hips. She leaned forward, kissing his neck first and then his chest, her tongue dipping out to taste the salt of his flesh, and he groaned, letting go of his dick when the condom was safely in place. She reached down between them and grabbed him by the base of his dick. She hovered over him for just a moment before lowering herself on him, her head rolling back as she stretched and molded herself against him, feeling that good ache that sent her reeling back to the previous night.

"Aw, fuck," he cried out, gripping her hips to keep from slamming up into her. He didn't want to hurt her, but the way she was looking at him, her pretty pink tongue wetting her soft lips, he wasn't sure he could hold on for long without losing control.

Carol stared down at him, her eyes trained on his face, the way his jaw clenched and his eyes screwed shut as he fought to hold onto every shred of strength he had left in his body. She felt powerful, as she lowered herself onto him. She was mesmerized by the way he responded to the heat of her body, the touch of her hands on his chest.

When she had taken him in completely, she steadied herself, her knees baring down into the mattress and squeezing against his hips at the same time. His head fell back against the pillow as she rode him, slow and steady strokes at first, her breasts bouncing before him. When he opened his eyes and set his sights on her, he moaned, his hand moving up her hip, caressing her ribs before cupping a breast in his hand. She bit her lip, gasping as his thumb rolled her nipple into a hard little bud, begging to be sucked. As if reading her mind, he sat up, and her legs came around his waist so she was sitting in his lap. His strong arms came up under her, helping hold her as she fucked him, and he bent down, taking one nipple between his teeth, gently biting down enough to elicit a cry from deep inside of her. Satisfied by this, he released her and treated her other breast to the same sweet torture before flipping her onto her back and crawling over her, situating himself so that he could fully take charge of her now.

"Oh fuck, Daryl!" she cried out, when he grabbed her hips and pushed into her, angling himself perfectly to strike those invisible nerves inside of her that had her making those noises he loved so much. She gripped his shoulders and buried her cries against his throat, biting and suckling him there. He smirked at the idea of having a hickey for the first time…since…well, ever.

When her walls seemed to shatter around him, sending her soaring, he drew it out as long as he could before he completely lost it and let his own orgasm take over. He groaned as he came, his mouth closing over hers, their cries spilling into one another, their hearts slamming against one another in perfect sync.

Daryl swept his hand over his neck as they lay in bed facing one another. The soft, white linen sheet clung to her naked form, and he lay there naked, not giving a damn that he was semi-hard and his dick sort of lolled there against his stomach in a state between satisfaction and desire.

He chuckled when he felt the ache of what he knew was going to be a bruise.

"I'm sorry," she said sheepishly, crinkling her nose as she placed her fingertips against his neck.

"S'alright," he muttered. "Somethin' to remember you by?" He saw a bit of sadness flicker across her face, and he pulled her close to him. "C'mere." His lips were on hers again.

"It doesn't have to end," Carol murmured before she could stop herself. She saw the hope in his eyes again, and it just about broke her heart. "My husband…he's…not going to be around for a few days. He comes home Monday night, and…well, maybe tomorrow night we could meet back here?" She was hesitant, as if trying to figure out if her heart wanted this or just her body. Maybe it was both. But when she saw the hope fade from his eyes, she wondered if maybe she getting too forward, too involved.

"I…I can't tomorrow night. I've got…" He hesitated. She placed her fingers against his lips.

"Don't tell me," she said quietly. "You've got your life. I've got mine. We're just two strangers who happen to…"

"To meet up more than once for mind blowing, out-of-body-experience sex?" he asked, a little southern drawl coming forward. She giggled and kissed him.

"It's that good, huh?" she asked.

"Better," he grunted, his hand moving below the sheets to squeeze her ass. She laughed and leaned her forehead against his. "Tomorrow night's no good. But tonight's great. And tomorrow morning. And tomorrow afternoon." He watched the smile spread across her face, her eyes glittering with joy. He liked bringing that look to her face, and part of him was sad to think that these might be all the moments he could get with her. But he was the one that had gone to bed with a married woman, had given her something she'd clearly needed without hesitation. He'd given a part of himself over to a stranger, and in the process, he'd found he was utterly consumed by her. In less than twenty-four-hours, he was falling for someone that might never be free to be his.

She could see the adoration in his eyes, and a heavy, sinking feeling filled her. Her smile faded, and she placed a hand against his chest, her fingers briefly toying with the short, coarse hair there. He took her hand in his, curling his fingers around hers.

"We don't know each other," Carol murmured, looking into his eyes. "Maybe it's better this way. Maybe…if we'd met in another life…maybe we could be more."

"Why can't we be more now? In this life?" he wondered, eyes searching hers. Carol sighed heavily.

"You don't know me. I don't know you. I came looking for something, and you gave it to me, and I will never forget that. I will always be thankful."

"So 'cause I was your one-night…two-night stand, we can't be nothin' more'n sex?"

"Daryl, I'm…" She sighed heavily and sat up in the bed, bringing the sheet up to cover her breasts. Daryl sat up next to her.

"You said you didn't know how much longer you'd be married to him. You told me that."

"I know what I said," Carol said with a nod. "But it's more complicated than that."

"Doesn't have to be."

"Daryl, I've been married for…a long time. I'm angry that my husband hurt me the way he did. But we're on equal ground now." She saw the pained look on Daryl's face and realized this conversation was getting into a territory too deep for her to wrap her mind around right now in the afterglow.

"You wanna stay with the man that makes you wanna run out and fuck the first stranger you meet?" he asked. He saw the hot flush come to her cheeks, and she looked away.

"It's my life. It's my marriage. You don't know me. I don't know you." She sighed and leaned her forehead against his again. "I have a lot of work to do in my life. I don't know what you have going on in yours. But why don't we…make up lives for each other?"

"Whaddya mean?" he wondered, taking her hands in his.

"Well, what do you think I do?"

"Huh?"

"When you look at me, what kind of person do you think I am? What kind of job do you think I have?" She smiled at him when she saw the grin on his face as he thought. "I'll go first. See, when I look at you, I see a farm boy, born and raised." He gave her a look that told her she wasn't even close, but she waved her hand. "Hold on, hold on, don't ruin it. Wait." Daryl chuckled and kissed her knuckles and the palm of her hand. She trembled under his watchful gaze. "I see you growing up on a farm with a bunch of brothers and sisters, and a mom and dad who are always after you to go to church. You're a good guy, but you're a rebel." Daryl laughed a little. "Your last name…it's something like…Jones or Davis. Something normal, but maybe spelled different."

"You want me to tell you?" She eyed him but shook her head.

"What do you see when you look at me?" He let her hand fall into her lap and sighed, leaning back on the mattress. She grinned and laid back next to him, curling her hand against his chest as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"You gotta be an only child. You take what you want and don't even think twice about it," he teased, his brows raising, getting a laugh out of her. "But you ain't selfish. You know what you want, and sometimes, even if it ain't good for you, you gotta have it anyway." She watched his eyes as he made up her life for her, and she bit her lip as his hand absentmindedly rubbed her side under the sheet. Her feet tangled with his, her toes brushing over his, and she felt the distinct urge to nibble on his chin, but she waited. "You got married young. You did what all good girls are raised to do. You got a job, a husband. You took care of your husband, and ya didn't let yourself think about what kind of life you mighta had without him. You don't think too long 'bout what coulda been or what could be, 'cause you think what ya got now's all you're ever gonna get."

"Daryl," she murmured, tears starting to well in her eyes.

"Sorry," he muttered. "Shit, I dunno. Ain't any good at this game." She sniffled and shook her head, kissing him tenderly.

"I think you're a lot better than you think you are," she whispered. "Come here." She kissed him again, softer this time but with a hunger that burned and rumbled low at first before spreading like wildfire and completely encompassing them both. They gave themselves over to one another again, trying not to think about what could be or what should be. All they had tonight was each other, and they slowed down, caressing and exploring one another, getting acquainted with the only other person in the world that they could escape with. The rest of the world would wait for them to catch up.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Freelance construction worker," Carol mused as Daryl held a strawberry up to her lips. She took a bite, and he shook his head. They'd spent the entire night in each other's company, and now the hunger was starting to creep in. As soon as the sun came up, Daryl had called for room service.

"Nope," he murmured, dipping that strawberry in whipped cream before bringing it back to her lips. She opened her mouth, and he took it away, bringing it to his own mouth for a bite. She glared at him before leaning in to kiss him, tasting the sweetness on his lips.

"Mechanic?"

"Uh-uh, good guess though. I'm pretty handy if ya get me under the hood of a car." Carol grinned at that, and Daryl gave her another bite of strawberry. She didn't dare look at the clock. While they still had a few hours to kill until checkout time, she didn't want to think that this might be their last morning together. What had started off as a way for her to experience something outside of her marriage, since her husband was doing something quite similar, had turned into something she hadn't expected. She hung on his every word, her gaze followed him when he moved around the room, and she found herself planning, wondering if there was a way she could see him again after this day was through. She knew it was wrong, but it didn't feel that way. Spending time with Daryl had given her more joy and pleasure and happiness than she'd experienced in all of her years. It was something she couldn't quite put into words, though she felt like a foolish schoolgirl for letting herself start to fall for him already. Every time she felt herself going weak in the knees, she internally chastised herself for it, but there was no stopping it.

"Male stripper?" she teased, getting a look from him that made her laugh. "You have whipped cream on your…oh, here, I've got it." She leaned in to wipe off a glob of the creamy, white sweetness from his chin with her fingertips, but instead, she kissed him, and then she ran her tongue along his jaw line, feeling him shudder with pleasure and groan from the feeling of her tongue against his skin.

"The hell you learn to use your tongue like that, woman?" he drawled, pushing her down against the mattress, crawling over her like an animal claiming his territory. She moaned when his hand slid up her ribcage and his thumb brushed over one of her nipples.

"I did go to college," she joked. He raised an eyebrow.

"An educated woman, huh?" he murmured thoughtfully, nestling his hips against hers, kissing her neck and trailing his tongue down the side of it. "A'right, my turn. Teacher. I can see you callin' the shots." Carol snorted when his five o'clock shadow tickled her skin.

"No, but good guess," she offered, her fingertips dancing along his jaw line as her other hand moved between them, wrapping around his dick and stroking him to full hardness. He grunted at the feeling of her cool skin against his hot, throbbing erection, and she licked her lips just before he buried his moans against her mouth.

"Nurse?" he panted, as she began to stroke him in a quick, steady pace.

"Don't have the stomach for it," she breathed, her eyelids heavy as his hand moved down her stomach, and he began to stroke the warm wetness between her legs. "Oh, shit." He grinned and buried his head against her shoulder as he worked and felt himself getting dangerously close to the edge.

"Professional torturer?" he grunted when her thumb ran over the engorged head of his dick, wiping up a bit of moisture there. She snorted at that, and he fell silent against her. She cried out when his thumb circled her clit just enough to draw out a few rippling spasms within her, and it wasn't long before she felt his sticky warmth against her hand.

Panting and still not fully satisfied, they lay together for a long moment before Daryl suggested taking a shower. When they both felt their legs were in working order, Daryl climbed out of bed, his dick half-awake, standing at half-attention in front of him. Carol licked her lips and considered giving him a morning blow job, but he saw the apprehension in her eyes. After all, that was something very intimate, and they barely knew each other. Still, as far as intimacy went, they physically were starting to know each other better than anybody else.

He reached out for her, and she slipped her hand into his. Daryl squeezed her hand and led her into the bathroom, and she thanked goodness for the higher price of the room this time. They'd been given a pretty nice sized suite with a big shower stall, big enough for two people. The look in her eyes clearly got things stirring in Daryl's blood, as his dick was already almost at full attention again. She silently thanked the heavens for the fact that he was already ready and able again so quickly.

Daryl turned the shower on, and within moments, the hot water and the room steamed up, and they stepped in together. Carol moaned when he backed her up against the wall of the shower, gasping at the feeling of the cool tiles against her back. Hot water poured over Daryl's shoulder, sprinkling her face and chest as he pressed kisses down her neck and dipped lower to capture a nipple in his mouth.

Her hands threaded through his damp hair, and she gasped when his tongue swept over her nipple. She dug her fingers into his shoulders, and he moved lower. When she realized what he was doing, she gave his ear a gentle tug, stopping him.

"Uh-uh," she murmured, shaking her head. "It's your turn. It's only fair." He saw the wicked gleam in her eyes, and his dick twitched in front of him. She grinned a Cheshire grin, and he stood up. They turned in the shower, and he leaned up against the wall, gripping a bar on the wall to keep his balance on the slippery surface. Carol kissed him softly first, and then her tongue traced his bottom lip. She began to lower herself, kissing down his neck, the mixture of the hot water and her warm tongue on his skin doing things to him he didn't think were possible.

He grunted and closed his eyes when her mouth was on his stomach, and then her face was right in front of his dick. He opened his eyes long enough to see her looking up at him, her pretty blue eyes peering up at him in an innocent way, before she took his dick in her hands and wasted no time in swirling her tongue around the head.

"Jesus, fuck!" he cried out, trying hard not to slip and fall and break his neck when things were going from sexy and fun to intense and hot as hell. Carol kept her eyes trained on his face, watching the way he bit his lip and his head fell back against the wall. This only spurred her on, so she gripped the base of his dick and began to take him into her mouth, her warm tongue gently massaging the underside of his member. His one hand gripped the shower rail, while the fingers of his other hand blindly grasped air, finally settling on grasping her short, wet hair as her sweet, warm mouth enveloped him.

She groaned softly when he tugged at her hair just a little, and the sound vibrated through him. He bucked his hips, and she pulled back a little before continuing exploring him with her lips and her tongue.

"Fuck, I'm gonna…" She pulled back, not touching him, wanting to hold off the moment of release for as long as possible. He looked down at her as the hot water sprayed over her and clung to skin, dripping down the curves of her breasts. He gripped his dick in his own hand, and she watched him with baited breath as he stroked himself. Within a few moments, he came, spilling across her chest, the rest falling to the shower floor and rising away with the water. He looked down at her, his cheeks red with embarrassment, but she didn't seem to mind. She stood, her knees a little sore from kneeling, and she ran her hands over her chest, wiping away the sticky trail.

His hands began to move over her, gliding across her soft, pale skin, caressing her breasts and moving between her legs, cleaning her, arousing her. She whimpered when the water went from hot to cold within a few seconds, and Daryl quick cut the shower off before grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her, running the soft fabric over her damp limbs. He shivered as the cool air hit his wet body like a ton of bricks.

"What about you? You're freezing."

"You can dry me off next," he offered. She grinned, liking that idea, and she let him work, enjoying the feeling of someone taking care of her for a change.

"You got somewhere to be today?"

"I'm off work this weekend," Carol said with a shrug. "You?"

"Yep," Daryl said with a grin. "I'm free 'til seven. Then I gotta get home." She didn't know why, but those words struck her. She wondered what he had waiting for him at home. A wife? A family? She didn't believe he was married, but maybe he did have a girlfriend. She knew she shouldn't focus too much on it, because after all, she had no room to wonder or be jealous thinking about what he might have outside their hotel room bubble. "I wanna see you again. After today, I mean."

"Me too," she admitted, the words escaping before she had the chance to think them over. "I want to see you, too, Daryl. I want…well, I want a lot of things, but seeing you is very high on that list." She smiled a little when he leaned in to kiss her, relieved he felt the same way.

"I gotta know, Carol," he said quietly, "is there a chance for this to be more? More'n what it is, right now?" He looked a bit awkward sitting on the edge of the bed wearing nothing but a towel, watching her get dressed as he asked her to consider whatever kind of relationship it was that they had.

"Until my marriage is over," she said quietly, as if she'd already made that choice, "this is all it can be. I'm sorry, Daryl. I just…I need to keep this separate." She didn't mean it to sound hurtful. She meant to say she needed to keep this for just her. Just for now. "That didn't sound right." She sighed heavily. "When I found you, I just wanted sex. But, the second you touched me for the first time, it was…"

"Yeah," he murmured. "I know."

"You felt that?"

"I did," he said with a nod. "Felt like I been waitin' my whole life for you to find me." Carol felt the tears prickling at her eyes, but she stayed strong.

"Yeah," she said softly. She sat down next to him on the bed. "I don't know how to do this, Daryl. All I've known for years is, you know, my marriage. It's been me and him, and now there's you, and right now, I feel like all I want is you. It's scary. It's very scary to not know someone very well but want them more than you ever thought you could." She shuddered when he stroked her thigh, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I know what ya mean," he murmured. "I don't wanna be the guy that breaks up a family."

"Family," Carol said with a little eye roll, "my family died a long time ago." He watched her flinch as she said the words out loud. She eyed him. "I'm not breaking up a family, am I?"

"Naw," he said with a shake of his head. "Ain't never been married."

"It's not all it's cracked up to be," Carol said with a half-hearted smile. "At least mine isn't." She leaned into him when he pulled his arm around her. She rested her hand against his chest, feeling his pulse pounding beneath her fingertips. She had never believed that anybody could begin to fall for someone so quickly, especially without knowing much about them at all, but the twisting feeling in her stomach and the flutter in her chest were the tell tale signs. She was letting herself fall for the man she never intended to know. She couldn't resist him. She wanted more of him. And he wanted her.

It was all so confusing, and he felt her sigh as he held her in his arms. He gently pushed her chin with his fingertips, turning her face so he could look into her eyes.

"If you ain't ready to leave him, I understand," he said quietly. "You don't know me." He kissed her softly, slowly, willing himself not to let it go too far this time. He stood up from the bed, letting the towel fall freely to the floor. Carol watched him get dressed, not sure of what to say.

"I don't know you. And you don't know me," Carol murmured carefully, considering her words. "The last two nights have been…amazing. I don't even know if that's the right word." She stood up, her hands trembling. "I feel like a terrible person."

"Hey," he said with a little shake of his head. "You ain't a bad person, Carol. I think you're just wakin' up to who you're supposed to be. Glad I could be here for it." She felt the breath leave her lungs. He zipped his jeans and grabbed her waist, pulling her close. "I do wanna see you again. I understand if you wanna leave it, but I think we got somethin' here. Somethin' that can be more than just…this. Not that I'm complainin'. This was pretty good, ya know?" She laughed a little and leaned in to kiss him, quieting his ramblings. When she pulled back, she brushed her thumb over his lower lip. "For what it's worth, any guy who hurts you the way your husband hurt you don't deserve you." She sighed when he leaned in and kissed her again.

_There he goes, making me want to fall in love with him. _

"Thank you," she whispered, leaning into him, their bodies pressed together, their arms encircling one another. "Thank you for being here." He kissed the side of her head and softly stroked her back.

"How can I find ya?" he wondered. She sniffled, pulling back.

"Um," she murmured, biting her lip. "I guess you can have my number. I just…that's it for now, ok?"

"Sure. Whatever ya need. Just wanna know I can talk to ya." Carol nodded.

"Of course," she said softly. "And we can figure everything else out later. I do want to see you again, Daryl. I need to work things out in my life, and I need to figure out what I need to do next, but I…I need to see you again." He nodded, and she walked over to a notepad on the bedside table. She scribbled down her phone number, and he did the same for her. They each added the other's number to their phones, and Carol felt her pulse racing at the idea of someone finding out about this. She needed this to be something just for her right now. She'd deal with Ed in time. She'd deal with all of it. But she knew that losing contact with Daryl was not something she was willing to let happen.

"A'right. I'll call you. Or text. Whichever you want."

"Yeah," Carol murmured a bit sadly. "Um, do you want me to drop you off at the diner?"

"We still got a while," Daryl offered. "You wanna take a walk? Go do somethin'?" She smiled at the way he suddenly seemed a little shy about doing something so mundane. She nodded and, finding herself reaching for his hand.

"Yeah, I'd like that."


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: Most people don't seem interested in this story, so it's probably not even worth my time to post here anymore. Oh well. Here it is anyway..

Chapter 6

Author's Note: I just want to remind everyone that this story is most definitely Caryl. Caryl is endgame, so please understand that I need to do a little more character development outside of the Caryl bubble in order for us to really move along, ok? Please hang in there!

When Carol dropped Daryl off at the diner so he could go back to his car and go on with his life, she felt a gnawing at her heart as she drove away. She hated feeling this way. She knew she was wrong for putting him through this. He was a good guy. She could tell. And she was bringing him into her crazy life while trying to keep him at arm's length at the same time. What was going to happen between her and Ed really had nothing to do with Daryl.

The idea of sleeping with Daryl had been, in itself, an act of revenge at the start. She'd wanted to go out, find a man and just have one night of meaningless sex. But what she'd found in return was something quite different. She'd never considered herself to be a clingy person or the kind of person that fell in love easily. It had taken Ed six months to convince her to marry him after he'd proposed the first time. In retrospect, she should never have accepted the proposal.

But with Daryl, it was different. He ignited something inside of her she never even knew existed. He made her feel things she'd never felt before; things she'd never even known were possible. He'd looked at her like he knew her, his eyes searching her soul. Leaving him the first time had been hard. She'd left feeling like she was leaving something good behind, like she hadn't had enough.

The second time, dropping him off at Joe's Diner and kissing him as the rain started to pour, it had been almost impossible. She felt foolish. She was a married woman pining over a stranger who seemed to show more consideration and respect for her than her own husband whom she'd known well over a decade.

Still, the entire drive home had her thinking of his piercing blue eyes, that half-smile she managed to get out of him when she whispered something in his ear. She couldn't stop thinking about his hands and how amazing his calloused fingers felt against her soft skin. She imagined he spent time working on cars or something of the sort to get his hands so rough, but she wasn't complaining.

She was halfway home when her cell phone rang, so she pulled over and answered without checking the number.

"Hello?"

"Hey," he murmured on the other line. A smile lit up her face, and she bit her lip.

"Hey yourself," she said quietly, turning off the ignition and leaning back against the driver's seat.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Driving home," she laughed. "You know, since I just headed that way five minutes ago." She heard him chuckle on the other line, and her heart swelled. "You're home already?"

"Nah, still at Joe's," he replied. "Gettin' ready to leave. Just wanted to hear your voice."

"Oh, you are _good_," Carol laughed. "You know, I could always turn around, and we could go get that hotel room."

"Naw," he sighed, "I really wish I could, but I can't."

"Alright," she said teasingly, "but you're missing out. Really."

"Trust me, I know," he chuckled. "Will ya call me tomorrow?" She smiled a little.

"Sure," she said quietly. "I can do that. What time?"

"Surprise me."

"Alright, how about four in the morning? Wake up call?" she teased. She heard him sigh again on the other line, and she felt her stomach drop. She missed him. She was speaking to him right now and she was missing him. It suddenly hit her that her eyes were burning, because she was starting to tear up. _What the hell is wrong with me?_ "You have a long drive home?"

"Not too far," he assured her.

"Be careful," she urged.

"You worried 'bout me?" he asked, though his words were soft as he could hear a tremble in her voice. When she didn't answer right away, he cleared his throat. "Carol?"

"Yeah?"

"Things'll work out. We just gotta let 'em, ya know?"

"I know," she said quietly. "Things will work out the way they're supposed to." She took a deep breath. "I should go. Traffic's getting kind of hairy, and I want to make it home before the weather gets too bad."

"Alright," he murmured. "Be safe." His voice trailed for a moment, as if he wanted to say something else, but instead, he cleared his throat.

"You too. Bye, Daryl." Carol ended the call and stared at her phone, her heart sinking in her chest. Before she knew what hit her, she was leaning against the steering wheel and sobbing, not out of confusion for what she'd turned her life into in the past two days, but because she genuinely hated to leave him behind. She felt like she was leaving her happiness to go back and play make believe at a house that hadn't been a home in many years.

When she finally pulled herself together, she dialed another phone number, wiping the last remaining tears away as it rang.

"Carol?" Michonne sounded tired but happy to hear from her friend. Carol could hear the television in the background along with Andre's squeals as he played.

"Remind me that Ed's a cheating bastard who deserves exactly what he gets," Carol murmured, feeling her throat tighten as the tears threatened to return.

"He _is_ a cheating bastard who deserves _exactly_ what he gets. After everything you two have been through, he goes and screws the help? Please! He deserves to be publicly humiliated." Yep, that was Michonne, always ready to get in a few jabs at Ed's expense. "Carol? Are you alright? Have you been crying?"

"What gave me away?" Carol asked, as she broke down again. "Damn it. Damn it!"

"Where are you?"

"I'm parked downtown. I'm just a mess, Mich."

"Let me talk Mike into watching Andre. I'll come meet you. We'll go have a drink, and…"

"No, it's alright," Carol cried, shaking her head as she spoke into the phone. "I just needed to speak to somebody who knows what's going on, who can keep me focused on what I have to do." She took a deep breath. "Michonne, I'm so scared."

"Girl, you don't have a damned thing to be afraid of. Ed's the one who better look out. He doesn't know how good he's had it all this time." She paused. "So you're really going to leave him? You're gonna do it?"

"When he gets home from his _business trip_, I'm going to tell him. I'm going to tell him everything, and then I'm done."

"Good for you," Michonne soothed. "You do what's best for you. You deserve to be happy, Carol, and if getting rid of Ed will do that, then so be it!" Andre began to scream hysterically in the background, and Michonne groaned. "Mike? What the hell did you do that for? You know you can't just take Mr. Frog away from your son! Ugh, Carol, I'm sorry. I gotta go."

"Go on. Thanks, Michonne," Carol whispered as the line went dead. She swallowed hard and turned the ignition back on, preparing herself to go home to an empty house where she'd have time to think and plan out exactly what she was going to say to Ed when he returned home.

When Carol pulled up to the house, she felt her stomach twist into knots when she saw a light on in the window. She knew she hadn't left one on last night, and that could only mean one thing. Her hands shook as she grabbed her keys, phone and purse, and she locked the car up before rushing up the walk to the front door. She no sooner got the keys in the lock when the door flew open. She expected to be greeted with his temper, but instead, she was looking into the bloodshot eyes of a very exhausted version of her husband.

"Ed? What are you doing home? I thought you weren't supposed to be home until…"

"Where you been?" he asked. "I just got home, and you weren't…"

"I was at Michonne's," she lied. "What are you doing home so early?"

"I couldn't…I wasn't out of town, darlin'," he muttered. "I lied." Carol froze. Well, this was unexpected. He pulled Carol into a hug that she didn't return. She was stunned. He had barely looked at her for the past three months, and now he was hugging her.

"Ed, what—" Ed closed the door and took her purse and keys and phone and put them on the hallway table. He took her hand and led her into the kitchen where she could see mud tracks from his boots. She sighed and made a mental note to clean it up later.

"Sit down, honey." _Honey? Darlin'? _Carol sat down at the table, watching Ed as he sat down across from her. "I don't know how to tell you this. I lied to you, Carol."

"Yeah, well, we covered that much."

"I didn't have to go out of town for work. Carol, for the last couple months, I've been…I've been sleepin' with my Tiffani. My secretary." He eyed her, waiting for her reaction. "Carol, honey, I'm so sorry. I was with her the last couple days, and bein' there, I just realized I was makin' the worst decision of my life." Carol felt like she'd been punched in the gut and all of the air had left her lungs. Her face went pale. "Ah, damn it, I shouldn't have blurted it out like that. I know it must be a shock, but…"

"Ed," Carol choked out, "I'm not…"

"No, now, let me get this out. I…I know things ain't been the same 'round here. Not since Sophia."

"Ed, don't, please." Hearing him say her name cut deep.

"I know we fought a lot. I know we stopped spendin' time together. I know when she got sick, it was hard on ya, and I wasn't here for that. I was a bad husband. I lost my temper, and I took it out on you. Hell, even on her." Carol felt like the room was spinning. "And when she died, I just…that was my baby girl. She was my girl, Carol. My baby girl. I didn't know how to…and you were so sad. I wasn't there for ya like I should've been."

Carol felt like she might throw up.

"Please stop," she begged.

"Honey, I don't expect ya to forgive me, but the past few days I realized that the last thing I want is to lose ya. I want what we used to have, when we was first married. Please, Carol, tell me you still want that, too. I'll be a better husband. I will be. Just please, tell me we can work this out. I'll do anything, Carol. I'm so sorry, darlin'. Please, just…don't leave me." Now these were the words that cut her deeply, and she choked back words she couldn't say. She watched as her husband's face went red, and his eyes brimmed with tears, and he began to sob. She wasn't sure if he'd been drinking, but she knew that she hadn't seen him cry like this since Sophia's funeral.

"Ed," she murmured, "I don't know….I can't think."

"I can go," he offered. "If you need time. I swear to you, Carol, I'm done with Tiffani. I asked her to find another job, 'cause I can't see her anymore. I just…I messed up, honey. I'm not usin' Sophia as an excuse, but when we lost her, I just…well, and you…I couldn't reach you. I just…"

"Stop, Ed. Please, just stop." Carol pushed the kitchen chair back, and it screeched along the tile floor. "I can't. Please stop saying her name. Just stop." She was crying now.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I'm so sorry."

Carol lay awake that night staring up at the ceiling in her bedroom. Ed was on the couch downstairs, and she was thankful that he'd given her some space. Her heart and her mind were still trying to process everything that had just happened in the kitchen. She'd been mentally preparing herself to end things with Ed once and for all, confront him with what she knew about him cheating on her and expect him to deny it. Instead, she'd come home to a very upset Ed who had fully admitted to cheating with absolutely zero prodding from his wife. He'd explained his reasons for what he'd done, explained that losing Sophia had pretty much made him lose his mind, and now she lay there feeling an enormous hole ripping through her, starting at her stomach and expanding to her heart.

She was feeling guilty, but not for the time she'd shared with Daryl. It was the reasons why she'd shared that time with Daryl. She'd gone out looking for some revenge on Ed, because she hadn't even factored in their daughter's illness and death into his choices. She'd just assumed that he was a piece of scum who just wanted to taste something a little younger, when he'd just admitted to her that losing Sophia had wrecked him, and he hadn't known how to reach out to his own wife or to comfort her.

Seven years ago, they had welcomed a beautiful, healthy baby girl into their lives. She had soft blonde hair and bright blue eyes, and she had her parents wrapped around her pinkie fingers. Making Sophia had been the one great thing Ed and Carol had ever done during their marriage, and for a while, she'd brought them closer together. They'd spent quite a few years of marriage without children and had started to accept that maybe it would just be them for the rest of their lives. So when Sophia came along, her parents were ecstatic.

Then, somewhere around her second birthday, Carol had noticed small bruises on her daughter's back and had flown into a rage assuming her husband had laid hands on their child. She'd even left him for month, but the bruises still came. It had been then that she'd known something was seriously wrong.

The doctors had initially given Sophia a good prognosis. She thrived with treatment and made it to her third birthday and her fourth. But the bills kept piling up, and even with Carol picking up that job at Dr. Rhee's office, it still wasn't enough to cover the bills, which led to a lot of tension and arguments about money. Their marriage was unraveling, and Ed's temper became worse and worse. He'd even yelled at Sophia for playing too loudly on some nights.

Around Sophia's fifth birthday, she began to get sick again, and the prognosis wasn't good. The reality hit them that they were going to lose their little girl, and in her last few months, Carol and Ed had pulled together, gotten closer. And then she was gone. For Carol, losing her little girl had been the single most painful, heartbreaking thing she'd never experienced, and for a good six months after, she felt like she was walking around in a nightmare. She went to work, got the job done, but her friends knew she was just going through the motions. She and Ed were rarely seen together, and while they shared a bed at home and shared meals, words between them were sparse, and he was particularly cold to her, not out of cruelty, but because he was going through his own grief in different stages than his wife.

Carol blinked back the tears as she remembered rocking her daughter's frail body in the rocking chair as the monitors beeped all around. She remembered everything about Sophia's last night, including the moment she took her last breath and slipped away peacefully in her sleep.

Since then, Carol and Ed had pretty much been living two different lives under one roof, and she honestly didn't feel like she knew him anymore. She'd been so certain he had just been cheating on her because he was a disgusting pig, but when he'd broken down in front of her, she'd felt the lump in her throat and heard the way he spoke about their little girl and how he was lost without her. Carol felt for him. He was her husband, after all, and he had been for many years. They had both lost something too precious for this earth, and his grief had led him to make a terrible mistake.

And then she thought of Daryl. He wasn't a mistake. She almost felt a little guilty that she _didn't_ feel guilty. Being with Daryl was like breathing fresh air. It was like she'd been locked in a stuffy room for so long, and then he'd come into her life, and everything had color and meaning and life again.

She rolled onto her side, looking at her cell phone on the night stand. She picked it up and thought about dialing Daryl. She wanted to hear his voice. She wanted to hear him tell her that everything was going to work out. She just wanted him.

But when she looked at the picture on the wall by the bed, a picture of Carol and Ed with baby Sophia, her eyes filled with tears. She didn't love him, not the way she used to, not anymore, but he was still her husband, and he'd been honest with her tonight, and she was still his wife. Whatever that counted for, whatever they'd been through, she knew he had lost something as precious as she had, and she couldn't hate him. Not now. Maybe not ever.

When she finally drifted off to sleep, she slept a dreamless, restless sleep as confusion coiled up inside of her and made a home in her heart. She had a lot of thinking to do and a lot of choices to make, and she knew that not one of them was going to be easy.


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's Note: Thank you guys SO much for all the feedback! I honestly wasn't sure who was reading, so I'm thankful so many of you popped in to let me know! Please feel free to drop a review now and again. It really helps to know that people are reading!_

Chapter 7

"What're you gonna do?" Michonne asked, as she sat across from Carol at the coffee shop. Carol sipped at her steaming cup, the bitter taste of the coffee swirling with the sweetness of the sugar she'd just put in. She reveled in the way it warmed her as she drank it.

"I don't know," Carol murmured. She felt a guilty nervousness tugging in her stomach, because she had a couple of missed calls from Daryl. She'd promised to call him today, and the day was nearly through. She had tried to give herself time today to completely process everything that had happened with Ed yesterday.

"Can I be brutally honest for a sec?"

"You're my best friend. That's your right," Carol said with a nod. "Go on."

"You married Ed for a reason. You two had a beautiful baby together. You guys had trouble, just like any couple, and then Sophia got sick." Carol nodded, her heart breaking as she relived it all over again. "I was there, Carol. I remember. It's like you two became strangers to each other. He pulled away, you pulled away, and you let each other. You slept in my guest room for a week."

"I remember," Carol sniffled. "And when I went home, it was so quiet. Everything was changed, and her room was still the way she left it, toys scattered on the floor and everything." She blinked back tears.

"You wanna know what I think?"

"Okay," Carol said with a little nod.

"Sophia was what was holding you two together. You had your problems before she came along and even after she was born. You even told me once that Ed wasn't the same man you fell in love with once."

"I wanted to hate him, Michonne," Carol said quietly. "When I found out he cheated? I wanted to hate him, and I was starting to until he started talking about Sophia." She shook her head. "He's still in pain, just like I am."

"It doesn't excuse him cheating."

"I cheated too," Carol said quietly. She felt ashamed somehow, calling what she'd had with Daryl cheating. While that's exactly what it was, the word sounded so foreign attached to the situation that way. Daryl wasn't some dirty little secret, and her gut wrenched as she realized that she had been trying to make him just that from the second they saw each other at the bar.

"Tell me about him," Michonne asked. "I know you don't want to, but I'd like to hear about him." Carol sighed but couldn't help but smile.

"I don't know how to put it into words. When I saw him, all I wanted was sex, but the second he touched me, I…I can't explain it. He touched me like…like he knew me, or like he wanted to know me. He didn't treat me like some cheap piece of ass or something."

"What a gentleman," Michonne shorted.

"No, I'm serious," Carol said quietly. "Even when it was over, I didn't want to leave. He wanted me to stay. It was like I couldn't get enough of him. It was like he was meant to be part of my life." She shook her head. "I haven't felt like this…"

"Since you fell in love with Ed?" Carol looked at her a bit guiltily. "Not even then?"

"I can't explain it, Mich. "

"You're falling for this guy?"

"I barely know him, but…but when I'm with him, I'm happy. I feel like I can be me."

"How much can you tell when you don't even know him, and he doesn't know you?"She caught the fallen look on Carol's face. "I'm not trying to be the bringer of doubt here, Carol, but you seem really taken with this guy. If you like him, he must be something pretty special, but if you're going to throw your marriage away over him, you better be pretty damned sure that he feels the same thing about you. If, to him, the sun doesn't shine out of your ass, you better keep moving on."

"Thanks for that stunning visual," Carol deadpanned. Michonne grinned and shrugged her shoulders.

"Look, for what it's worth, you do seem happy when you talk about him. What's his name again?"

"Daryl," Carol said softly. "You probably think I'm this awful person who…"

"Carol, you and Ed haven't been you and Ed for a long time. You're not a horrible person. You deserve to be happy, and if Daryl makes you happy, for God's sakes, go to him." Carol's brows rose at Michonne's response. "You can't put your life on hold and just hope your marriage fixes itself. You have to ask yourself if you still love Ed enough to wait for things to get better. If not, then you need to do what's best for yourself."

Carol lay in bed, her hand gripping her phone as she read the messages over and over again.

_You ok? I miss you._

_Let me know you're ok. _

Her heart thundered against her chest, and she brushed back tears as she read his texts. She missed him like crazy, and she had been going back and forth all day about calling him. She'd wanted to, but every time she went to dial his number, she would freeze. She didn't know what to say or how to say it, and everything was so complicated. Michonne had been pretty helpful with their frank little chat, but the fact remained that Carol was married and she was quickly falling for the man she'd slept with to get back at Ed. Only she knew Daryl wasn't revenge. When he looked at her, he was hers and she was his.

With a sigh, she gathered up the courage to dial his number. Her hand shook as she brought her phone to her ear. After three rings, she heard him fumble with his phone and clear his throat.

"Carol?" Daryl whispered into the phone, clearing his throat again. He sounded like he'd been sleeping.

"Daryl, I didn't mean to wake you up," she said quietly. "I just needed to talk to you."

"I'm glad ya called. You ok?"

"I don't know," she said gently. Her voice was shaking.

"Did something happen? Did he hurt you?" He was suddenly very awake now, his voice filled with concern.

"No. No. I'm fine."

"Ya don't sound fine. Carol, talk to me."

"Everything's a mess," she murmured. "I just…Ed came home early, and we talked and…I don't know."

"You need me to…I dunno, what can I do?"

"I don't know. I don't think there's anything you can do, Daryl. I have to figure this out on my own. I just…I needed to hear your voice." She swallowed the lump in her throat as she spoke, hoping she wouldn't come off sounding to clingy or needy. She just needed to know he was listening.

"I'm here if ya wanna talk, alright?"

"Can you meet me tomorrow? I'm sure you have to work, and maybe you have plans, but…"

"I can," he said quietly. "I'll be there. Carol, are ya sure you're ok?" It was then that she broke down in tears, and he knew he wasn't going to get any information out of her. He sighed softly and ran his fingers through his hair as he listened to her ragged breathing and her sobs. "I'm here, Carol. I'll stay on the line 'til ya fall asleep, alright?"

When Carol pulled up outside of Joe's diner, Daryl was finishing off a cigarette. When he spotted her, he tossed the butt and ran the toe of his boot over it for good measure. He ducked into the car, and he greeted her with a kiss. He saw that her eyes were red from crying, and he had no idea what to do or what to say, but he kissed her again, and she smiled, leaning her forehead against his, thankful just to be near him.

"Hey," he murmured, caressing her cheek, brushing away a stray tear as it rolled down her cheek. "C'mere." He kissed her again, and his lips lingered over hers, tasting the salt of her tears, feeling her tremble against him.

"I missed you," she murmured against his mouth. He ran his thumb over her lower lip.

"Me too," he murmured.

"I'm sorry if I'm keeping you from something or…"

"I'm here," he assured her. "I ain't goin' nowhere. Where you wanna go?" Carol kissed him again, and her hand threaded through his hair. He groaned when her tongue darted out to run over his bottom lip, but he managed to pull back. "We don't have to. We can just talk."

"I can't talk about it, Daryl. I can't. I just need you." Daryl searched her eyes with his own, seeing so much pain there, and he felt a little guilty for giving in and kissing her once more, but if this was what he could do for her, if this is what she needed for him, he'd do what he could for her.

"Alright," he murmured softly. "Come on, let's go."

Carol rested her forehead against his, their sweaty bodies entangled on the mattress. Daryl slowly slipped out of her, rolling onto his back, pulling her against him, stroking her neck and back, feeling her breathing slow as he held her.

She closed her eyes as she listened to his heart beat beneath his chest, and she let the sound carry her away to a place with no confusion and no heartbreak. When his hand brushed over her shoulder, her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up to find him watching her.

"You ok?" he asked quietly, his eyes searching hers. She gave him a weak smile but nodded.

"I'll be ok," she said quietly. "If I tell you, would it be too much?"

"You're the one that wanted to keep this separate," he said quietly. He didn't intend for it to sound accusing or as if he was pointing out to her that keeping him in this little bubble outside of her real life was her idea, but he saw her flinch. "Sorry, I didn't mean…"

"It's ok," she murmured. "Ed told me everything." She sat up a little, pulling the sheet around herself. "I came home, and he was there waiting for me. I didn't have to tell him I knew or ask him. He just told me that he cheated on me, and he begged me to forgive him." Daryl sat up a little, uncertain if he should touch her, uncertain which direction this was going. He gave her a little nod to continue. "For a moment, when he looked at me, I remembered how I used to feel about him. I remembered why I loved him. He was a good guy, Daryl. One time, he was a really good guy." She held her head in her hands.

"What're you gonna do?"

"He's my husband," she said quietly, her gaze searching his face, seeing the hope fade in his eyes. She reached out and touched his arm. "But I don't love him. Not like I should." She sighed and felt the tears about to break again. "I want to tell you about something."

"Alright," he said quietly, preparing for the worst, trying to keep hope alive that Carol would recognize that her marriage was over. He hated to be the guy that busted up a marriage, but from the sounds of it, that marriage was already pretty busted before he ever came along.

"Three years ago, my daughter Sophia died. She was four." He hadn't been sure what he was expecting her to say, but that had, by far, been the last thing he expected. "Leukemia." She smiled sadly and shook her head. "She was beautiful, Daryl. She had the prettiest blue eyes, and she was such a good kid. Some kids are brats, you know, but not my Sophia. She was a regular kid, but she had me and Ed wrapped around her little finger. She was our baby. We had had trouble getting pregnant, and when it finally happened, you know, we spent the whole pregnancy just worrying and trying not to get too excited, because I was high risk. And then she was born and she was this perfect little thing, so tiny." Daryl watched the way her eyes sparkled and her lips turned up in a smile as she talked about her child. "She was the best thing to come out of my marriage. After she died, Ed and I just kind of fell apart, but not together. We grieved apart. We just kind of lived our lives like the other person was there but wasn't. Do you get what I mean?"

"Maybe. I think," he said quietly.

"Over the past three years, Ed and I have become strangers, Daryl. He's not the man I married. And I don't love this man. I don't." She sighed heavily. "My marriage is over, and I don't know how to tell my husband that when I look at him, all I see is the man that wasn't there for me when Sophia died. I see the man who doesn't even look like the man I married so long ago. He's changed, and so have I, and we shouldn't be together anymore." Daryl reached for her hand, giving it a little squeeze.

"What do you want, Carol?"

"I want to breathe again," she said softly. "I want to smile and laugh and be happy, and the only time I seem to do those things anymore are when I'm with you." Her shoulders shook as she took in a deep breath. "I know we just met. I know that."

"Don't," he said with a shake of his head. "Time don't matter. None of that matters. Feel like I've known ya forever, and I don't even know your last name." He smiled a little when she ran her thumb over his knuckles.

"Peletier."

"Huh?"

"Peletier. That's my last name. Carol Peletier." Daryl's smile widened, and he leaned in to kiss her gently.

"Pleased to meet ya, Carol Peletier. Name's Daryl Dixon."

"Dixon?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Hmm, well, I think that suits you just fine." Daryl snorted and kissed her again.

"Stop," he muttered. He sighed and rested his forehead against hers for a moment, uncertain as to what this step they'd just taken meant. He sobered and pulled back. "I'm real sorry 'bout your little girl." She nodded her head and looked down.

"Me too. I miss her. Everyday." Daryl pulled his arm around her, and he sighed, resting his chin on her shoulder for a moment. She smiled a little, and he gave her a nudge.

"Carol?"

"Hmm?"

"You wanna come home with me?" He felt her tense a little. She looked at him.

"I don't know, Daryl," she said quietly. "I don't…"

"I wanna show you my world." Her heart jumped at that. "I want ya to sleep in my bed. I want to wake up in the mornin' and not worry 'bout a checkout time." Carol smiled a little and brushed her thumb across his cheek. "I wanna drop you off at work and pick ya up and take ya home to dinner. Where do ya work, anyway?"

"I work at a doctor's office downtown. I'm a receptionist," she grinned.

"Hey, I was kinda close when I guessed nurse, huh?"

"Kinda," she laughed. "What do you do?"

"Uh, right now? I'm workin' in a factory. Pays the bills. I do motorcycle repairs, too."

"Hey, I guessed mechanic!"

"Well, it ain't really me, you know? I like to hunt. Like to go out in the woods. I could take ya sometime."

"I've never been camping," Carol admitted. Daryl raised an eyebrow and made a mental note to take her somewhere soon.

"I'll take ya. I could teach ya how to hunt." She made a face, and he kissed her. "C'mon, you'd look hot in camo."

"Oh God," she laughed, covering her face.

"C'mon," he urged. "Come home with me." She sighed and ran her fingers through her short, spiked-with-sweat hair. "Let me show you my world." Carol bit her lower lip, trying to suppress the grin that he was drawing out of her. Finally, she nodded her head.

"Alright, Daryl. Take me home."


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's Note: Thanks for the fantastic feedback on the last couple of chapters! I really appreciate it! Keep it coming! Hope you guys like this one. _

Chapter 8

Carol peered out of the window as the rain hammered down onto the earth. She had followed Daryl back to his house, a nice little one-story brick place with a fenced in yard. She hadn't been expecting him to live in a place like that. Given what she knew about him—he liked to hunt, work on motorcycles and worked in a factory—she expected him to live in a little room off the side of somebody else's house or something. But it was a pretty nice place, and she figured he must be doing pretty well for himself.

Daryl hopped out of the car and hurried up through the gate and to the front door. When he got the door unlocked, he motioned for her to follow. She grabbed her keys and her purse and rushed out of the car, shivering at the shocking cold rain on her skin.

Just as she ducked into the front door, she was surprised to meet a pretty young blonde woman who was shifting a backpack over her shoulder and looking at Daryl with puppy dog eyes. Carol didn't know what to think, and when the young woman looked at Carol, she blushed.

"Oh, hi," she said with a smile. "I'm Beth!"

"Hi Beth," Carol said uncertainly. "I'm Carol."

"Mr. Dixon, I best be getting home. My dad expected me home an hour ago."

"Sorry 'bout that, Beth," Daryl muttered. "Didn't mean to keep ya out longer than you were supposed to be."

"It's alright. See you later."

"Careful out there. That rain's comin' down pretty good. You need me to follow you home?"

"No, I'm fine. Thanks, Mr. Dixon." Beth gave Carol a smile before hurrying out the front door. Daryl closed it behind her and turned to meet Carol's amused but questioning gaze.

"So, Beth seems nice," Carol said slowly.

"She's just a high school kid. Her daddy's my vet. Well, my dog's vet." He whistled, and a big German Shepherd came bounding into the room, immediately jumping up to put his paws on Carol's chest. Like owner, like dog. Carol cried out in surprise, and Daryl quickly pulled the dog off of Carol.

"Down, Cherokee," he ordered. The dog licked Carol's hand and turned to rush out of the room.

"Beautiful dog. I love German Shepherd's."

"Cherokee's a good boy. Keeps the place safe," Daryl said with a nod.

"So, Beth dog sits, huh?" Carol said with a smile, noting how Daryl seemed to have spoiled his pet. There was an oversized pet bed in the corner, various toys and dog bones lying in it. "This is a nice place, Daryl."

"Thanks," he said with a shrug. "Bought it a few years back. Got a good deal on it, fixed it up." He took her jacket and put it on the coat rack. "You're soaked. Lemme get ya a towel." He disappeared down the hall and returned with a large, fluffy towel. He wrapped it around her shoulders, never taking his eyes off of hers. She blushed and gasped softly when he brushed his lips against hers. "Have a seat," he said quietly, motioning for her to sit down on the couch. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. He gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"You'll see. Just sit." She did as he asked and watched as he disappeared down the hallway. She looked around the dim room, smiling at the simple décor. It definitely had a man's touch to it. She bit her lip, her eyes darting about, looking for any sign that a woman—someone beside the dog sitter—had been occupying the same space. She came up lacking. She felt a little better, and she relaxed against the couch.

Cherokee came walking lazily in from the kitchen, and ne nuzzled Carol's hand with his nose. She smiled and patted the dog's head.

"Good boy," she said with a smile. "You're a beautiful boy." She scratched him behind the ears, which he really seemed to love.

She heard Daryl's footsteps coming back down the hall, and, and she turned on the couch just in time to see him walk into the room carrying a small bundle in his arms. Confused at first, she suddenly realized that wasn't just a bundle. It was a baby. She stood, her knees a little wobbly, and she looked at the little baby in Daryl's arms.

"Told you I wanted to show you my world," he said quietly. "_This_ is my world. Her name's Grace." Carol's hand moved to her mouth, and she gasped, peering down at the sweet little child in his arms.

"Oh my God, Daryl," she murmured, stepping around the couch and moving to get a closer look at the tiny baby bundled up in a lavender blanket. Her dark brown hair was fuzzy and stuck up all over her head. She was a tiny, perfect little thing. She noted the way he held the baby so close and a little awkwardly. He was very new to this. "You're a dad."

"Yeah," he murmured. "She's six weeks old, and I don't really have a clue what I'm doin'. But I'm learnin." He looked down at the baby who grunted in her sleep.

"Where…I mean, her mother's not here?" Daryl shook his head.

"I didn't even know her mama was pregnant. We split up a long time ago, 'cause she was into some bad shit, and next thing I know, social services is knockin' on my door tellin' me I'm a dad, that her mama got into an accident. Baby made it, but she didn't. Next thing I know, I'm takin' blood tests and findin' out I'm gonna be somebody's parent for the rest of my life." He shook his head. "It all happened so fast, I didn't know what the hell to do. I ain't never had nieces or nephews or nothin' like that. Never changed a damned diaper 'til that first night with Gracie." He moved to sit down on the couch, and Carol sat down next to him, unable to take her eyes off of that beautiful baby girl.

"Daryl," she murmured, "I had no idea you were a dad."

"Still gettin' used to the idea, myself. The other night, when we met at the bar? That's the first night I had away from her since I got her. Beth's savin' up to go to college, and I offered to pay her to babysit Gracie for me. Pretty sure she's gettin' paid way too much for a few hours a day, but she's good with Gracie." He eyed her, seeing the flood of emotions in her eyes. "You wanna hold her?" He suddenly regretted asking that, considering Carol had just told him earlier about her daughter who died. "Sorry, I wasn't thinkin'. It's too much?"

"No, it's ok," she said softly. "I'd love to hold her." She smiled as she held her hands out, and Daryl gently placed the baby in her arms. "Oh…" She cooed down at the baby and kissed her little forehead, smelling that intoxicating baby smell of powder and milk. "Oh, she's so precious. Hi, Gracie. I'm Carol." She settled back down on the couch and held the baby close, remembering Sophia being that small like it was yesterday. The tears filled her eyes, and she smiled up at Daryl as she cradled the baby. He couldn't take his eyes off of her or the way she held his daughter so protectively and so lovingly.

"You're good with her," he said softly. "Most days I don't think I'm doin' anything right."

"That's normal," Carol chuckled. "Sophia's whole first year, I took her to the doctor practically every other week. I was terrified that she wasn't eating enough or sleeping enough or that I was just not doing something right. But it passes." She stroked the baby's cheek with her finger. "Tell me about her. About Grace's mom. If you want to, I mean." Daryl sighed and sat down next to Carol on the couch.

"Ain't a whole lot to tell. We were together for a while, and then she got into some trouble. Got into drugs and shit I didn't want no part of. When she left, I never saw her again. Then the cops showed up at my door. Said she got into an accident. She was high, and she was pregnant, and they got the baby out in time, but she didn't make it." He shook his head. "Another few minutes, and the baby woulda died right along with her, they told me."

"That's awful," Carol said quietly. "I'm sorry, Daryl."

"Never thought I'd be a dad. Gracie was lucky she wasn't hurt or sick 'cause of what her mama did, but she's here, and I thank God for that, ya know?" He shrugged. "I never prayed once in my life 'til the second I held her in my arms." He glanced at Carol to see the tears slip down her cheeks. He leaned forward and kissed her softly. She sighed against his lips and pulled back.

"You gotta get home, or can ya stay?" he wondered. She chewed her lip nervously.

"You want me to stay here tonight?"

"Why not?"

"I don't know. I mean, is that ok? Will she be ok?"

"Carol, she's a baby. Don't think she cares much who stays here so long as she's got a dry diaper and a warm bottle." He saw her bite her lip and smile again, and his heart warmed. "C'mon. I'll put her back down in her room, and then we can go to _my _room…"

"Daryl," she choked, her cheeks turning red, which he found amusing considering the fact that he probably knew every inch of her body better than his own at this point. Carol's cell phone chose that very moment to vibrate in her purse, and Daryl eyed her. She sighed and handed the baby over to him, grabbed her phone. He noticed her flinch when she read the message.

"Everything alright?"

"Yeah," she said quietly. "I can't stay, Daryl. I'm sorry." She leaned in to kiss him softly. "Can I take a rain check?"

"Sure," he said slowly, wondering what was going on that was pulling her away from him. She gave him a gentle smile and caressed his arm.

"I have a few things I need to take care of," she assured him. "I need to move on from my marriage before I can start having sleepovers at somebody else's house."

"Who said we'd be sleepin'?" he asked, wiggling his brows. She rolled her eyes and kissed him again.

"I'll call you tomorrow, ok?"

"Yeah," he murmured, his lips lingering over hers. "But ya know, Cherokee's gonna miss ya like crazy."

"Oh, Cherokee will be alright," she laughed, patting the dog's head. The dog looked at Daryl and whined.

"See. Told ya."

"I'm sorry, Cherokee. I promise I'll stay another night." She leaned in and kissed baby Grace's forehead. "Good night, little miss. You take care of your daddy. Go easy on him, ok?" Daryl reached out for her hand, tugging her back toward him gently. She smiled against his lips and wished she could stay with him forever. "I'll call you. I promise." She felt his lips brush over her neck, and she trembled. "Oh God, please don't start something we can't finish." The way his mouth ghosted over her skin sent sparks flying through her blood. "Daryl!"

"Damn, thought that might work."

"Good try," she grinned, knees weakening. "I promise. Rain check." She kissed him again, and he got up to show her out. She ducked her head and held her purse over it to shield herself from the cold rain, and Daryl stood at the door and watched as she got in the car and drove off. He sighed and looked down at his daughter in his arms.

"That was Carol," he murmured softly to her as she slept. "She's the girl daddy's gonna marry someday."

Carol choked back a cough as she walked into the bar. Smoke lingered in the air, and she waved her hand in front of her face. She hated dives like this. This bar literally had a bunch of rednecks running around with their beer bellies hanging out, smoking cigarettes, drinking the cheapest beer they could get and playing pool while stumbling over one another.

"Peletier's woman's here," one man laughed as he leaned against the pool table. "Aw, hell, Ed, you're in trouble now."

Carol saw the bartender, Axel, heading her way.

"Hey Carol," he said a bit sheepishly. "I didn't call an ambulance, 'cause he refused, so I called the next best thing."

"Thanks, Axel," Carol said tightly, eyeing her husband sitting on a bar stood with a wet rag pressed to his forehead.

"He's probably gonna need stitches."

"It's alright. I've had practice." She eyed him, Ed. Her hard stare was slightly more painful than the cut on his forehead. This wouldn't be the first time she'd had to patch up her husband's wounds after a night of hard drinking. Hopefully it would be the last.

"Hey, darlin'," Ed slurred from the bar stool, standing when she walked over toward him, swaying in her presence. Even in his drunken stupor, Ed could tell his wife was not pleased, and he reached out for her, only to stumble and fall into her. She moved backward, nearly falling, when Axel ducked under Ed's arm and held him up.

"C'mon, big guy. Let's get you to the car, huh?" Carol gave Axel a thankful look, and together they helped get Ed to the car. Ed dropped into the passenger's seat of Carol's car, and she got in.

"Thanks, Axel."

"Sorry to bother ya again, Carol. Figured you'd rather me call you than the police. He was gettin' a little too into that pool game, and I thought he was gonna shove a stick up poor 'ole Merle's ass." Carol cringed and turned the key in the ignition.

"Thanks for calling, Axel." Axel shut Ed's door and tapped on the roof of the car. Carol drove off while Ed slurred his story about how he was beating Merle's ass at pool, but Merle'd caught him cheating, so they'd had a big fight about it. "Bastard smashed a bottle over my head. Who does that?"

"That's what you get for drinking in that trashy bar."

"Now, honey, I just…"

"Don't now honey me, Ed Peletier. You brought this on yourself. You're the one that went out and got drunk and then got into a _ bar fight_ with one of your pool buddies. You know better."

"But Carol," he murmured, reaching over to touch her shoulder. She shrugged him off.

"Don't 'but Carol' me." She stopped at a red light and moved her hand over his.

"Let me see." She sighed when she saw the cut was still bleeding. "That's just great, Ed. I have half a mind to take you to the emergency room."

"I don't need no damned doctor pokin' and proddin' me and tellin' me there's somethin' wrong with me. I'm fine just the way things are."

"Well, don't be going back to Axel's for a while, and maybe you won't have this problem, Ed." Ed chuckled and brushed his hand over her shoulder.

"Love you, honey. You're always here when I need you."

"You mean I'm always cleaning up after your messes." Ed said nothing. Carol was tense in the driver's seat, and when they arrived at home, Carol helped Ed inside. She marched him to the bathroom where the light was better, and she proceeded to start cleaning up the blood from his face.

"Well, you won't need stitches…this time," Carol pointed out, dabbing at the blood. "It's a superficial cut, and sometimes those bleed the worst." Ed winced when she dabbed some peroxide on his forehead.

"It's not that bad, Ed. Stop being a baby." She finished cleaning away all the blood, some fresh, some dry, and then she placed some ointment over the small cut before placing a bandage over it. She patted the top of his head, as if to reward him for not whining too much through the process. "All better." He didn't seem to notice that she was talking to him almost like a child, but when she helped him up, he grunted when he nearly fell forward.

"Shit, I ain't never drinkin' again."

"That's what you said the last three times you came home with blood all over you, Ed," Carol reminded him. "C'mon. Let's get you to bed." She helped him into their room, and he practically collapsed on the bed. She turned to the door, and he looked up at her.

"You ain't stayin'?"

"No, Ed. I'll sleep on the couch."

"But, honey…"

"Ed, you're drunk. I'll talk to you when you're sober. I'm down the hall if you need anything." She turned and left him alone and retreated to the living room to spend what she knew would be a sleepless night trying to get comfortable.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Carol scooped out some scrambled eggs and bacon onto two plates. She could hear Ed shuffling about the bedroom, and she knew it was only a matter of time before he smelled the food and came staggering into the kitchen still smelling like Axel's barroom.

She decided not to wait on him, so she sat down at the table and began to eat. As soon as that first bite hit her stomach, she realized how hungry she really was and had her plate nearly finished before Ed came walking in.

She eyed him as he scratched himself and walked over to the coffee pot. When he turned to her, pouring some of the hot liquid into a mug, she could see that the bandage had a red spot in the center, but it hadn't completely soaked through.

"You might stop by Dr. Rhee's office and have him take a look," Carol offered.

"Thought you said it was alright?"

"It's fine, but he might want to give you a tetanus shot or something. Who knows what kind of germs got in that wound while you were crawling around that bar floor."

"I'm fine," Ed said with a shrug, sitting down across from her. "Where were you yesterday?"

"Me? I was out with a…friend." She eyed him evenly, trying not to show him that her stomach was coiling up with anxiety at that moment. "While you were out drinking with your buddies, I was with a friend."

"This friend," he said slowly, "I met her?" Carol put her fork down and took a sip of her own coffee.

"You don't know all of my friends," Carol said quietly. "You haven't bothered to pay attention to those kinds of things for a long time." Ed sighed and put his coffee cup down.

"I'm tryin', honey."

"Ed," Carol said quickly, her heart starting to pound in her chest, "I don't think it's worth trying."

"What're you talkin' about?"

"I knew about Tiffani," she pointed out. "Before you even told me." Ed's face froze. "I was surprised the night I came home and you told me everything. Ed, I found out by accident, and I was so angry. I thought you were just trying to throw our marriage away, so I went…I went out looking for revenge." She saw Ed's face pale further, and he nearly choked on his food. He spat into his napkin and put it on the table.

"What're you sayin'?"

"I'm saying that I met someone," she said quietly.

"You tellin' me some other man's had his hands on you?" The anger was rising in Ed's voice, and Carol put a hand up.

"Don't, Ed," she warned. "You don't have the right to be angry here. You're the one that said he was so grief-stricken by his daughter's death that he went and slept with his secretary." She saw the color rising in his cheeks now. "I met someone, and yes, I slept with him. I wanted it to be revenge. I wanted to get back at you." She chose her next words carefully, wanting him to know the truth, but not wanting it to sting too badly, because, after all, neither one of them was entirely innocent here. "The second he touched me, I knew it wasn't revenge. I knew I was moving on from you. From us."

"Carol," he choked out, "you ain't serious. You're _my_ wife."

"Ed," Carol sighed, "I haven't been your wife for a long time, and I think we both know that."

"I don't understand." His voice was low, but the redness in his face showed his confusion and anger.

"I guess I don't expect you to," Carol replied. "We've had problems for a long time, and you know that. If we weren't having problems, you wouldn't have felt the need to go to Tiffani. I was angry when I found out you cheated, and I thought I was angry because I loved you so much." She saw hope flicker in his eyes for a moment before she lowered the boom. "I think I was angry, because I knew it was over, and I felt like maybe I should have been the one to end it first. We haven't been together for a very long time, and you going to Tiffani just proved to me that I don't know you anymore."

"Carol, I still love you."

"I don't think you love me the way you used to." Carol felt a lump rising in her throat. "Ed, it's ok. It's ok that we're different. It's ok that we aren't in that place anymore."

"I don't understand," he grumbled.

"I don't love you like that, Ed. Not anymore. I haven't for a very long time." Her lower lip trembled. "When we lost Sophia, I felt like I was alone. Even when you were here. And over the past couple of years, I've become someone else. I've realized that I'm not the woman I was when we met; when we got married. And that's ok. I like this woman better." Ed's mouth fell open and closed again, and she thought he looked like he might explode at any moment. "This isn't the life I want. I can't pretend things can ever be what they were. I just want to move on. Maybe you should, too."

"You're leavin' me?"

"I have to, Ed. If you still loved me like you loved me when we got married, we wouldn't be sitting here having this conversation, because you never would have slept with your secretary, and we would have found a way to grieve Sophia together. It's just…we aren't who we used to be, and I don't want to pretend that things are going to get better when they're not."

"So you're just gonna throw away all these years?" he asked, standing up now, looming over her. She tensed up but scooted her chair back and stood to face him.

"Daryl, I didn't throw anything away. I don't hate you. I'm not angry with you. I just need to move on." With that, she turned and walked toward the door. She paused and turned back to him. "The house is in your name. I'll stay with Michonne or at a hotel."

"Or with your new boyfriend?" Ed scoffed.

"That's my business, Ed. I'll come back for my things later. You'll see, this is the best thing for both of us. It's over, Ed. It's done." Carol headed upstairs to the bedroom to gather a few things in an overnight bag. As she was about to go back down the stairs, she stepped into Sophia's old bedroom for the first time in years. She sighed and leaned against the door frame, flicking the light on. The baby pink carpet still looked immaculate, save for the old stain where Sophia had spilled her juice once. The butterfly wall decorations were starting to peel off the walls.

Carol sighed softly and knelt down next to Sophia's bed, taking the small pillow into her hands. She held it to her chest and buried her face in it. She could almost still smell the bubblegum shampoo that she used to use on Sophia. She felt tears sting her eyes again, and she put the pillow back down. She spotted the little stuffed bunny rabbit on the foot of the bed and picked it up. It had been Sophia's favorite, one she always cuddled with at night. Carol had gone out and bought it the day she'd found out she was pregnant. Sophia and that bunny had pretty much been inseparable since Sophia's birth.

Without hesitating, Carol tucked the bunny into her overnight bag and left the room, shutting off the light and closing the door behind her. She was met by Ed by the front door, who looked a mix between shaken and angry, his eyes never leaving hers as she moved toward the door.

When her hand wrapped around the door knob, his hand shot out, his fingers curling around her forearm as he stepped between her and the door. She jerked her arm out of his hands, and he jumped like he was shot.

"Carol, I'm sorry, I wasn't…"

"Don't _ever_ put your hands on me again." In all the years they'd been married, he'd never once touched her like that, and the suddenness of it had taken her off guard, frightened her a little. Still, she wouldn't let him stop her.

"I'm sorry. I'm just…I'm sorry, Carol." Carol said nothing. She just stared at him, and finally, he backed down and got out of her way.

"I'll be back for my things," she assured him, opening the door and stepping outside, the fresh morning breeze and a warm sun greeting her, welcoming her out of her past. "Goodbye, Ed." And then she walked to her car without looking back, got in and left, her heart pounding in her chest as she felt the grip of the past few years slowly releasing her from its grasp.

"You did it? Wait, you _really _did it?" Michonne asked, disbelief thick in her voice.

"Yeah, I really did it," Carol murmured, still in a bit of shock herself as she sprawled out on the hotel mattress.

"Holy shit," Michonne murmured, still a bit in awe. "How'd he take it?"

"Not well, but it could have been worse."

"So, how do you feel?"

"Good," Carol murmured. "I feel good. Better. Ed'll get over it. He doesn't love me. He just thinks he does. I dunno, I kind of get the feeling he thinks I'm supposed to stay with him forever."

"Screw that," Michonne scoffed. "He can't expect you to lie to yourself."

"Like I said, Ed will get over it. He'll be alright." She didn't sound very convinced herself, but she sighed and stretched out on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"So, how long did it take before you called Daryl and told him to come get you."

"What?" Carol asked. "I didn't. I haven't talked to him yet."

"What? Carol…what's wrong with you?"

"What?"

"You realize that walking out that door and driving away from that house was your cue to run into the arms of the sex on legs you keep raving about, right?"

"Michonne," Carol laughed. "Stop."

"So when do I get to meet him?"

"What?"

"You have to introduce him sometime, right?" Carol groaned and ran her fingers through her short hair, feeling a little flushed at the idea of introducing her friends to her…her what? Lover? Boyfriend? Sex friend? She didn't exactly know what to call him, but whatever he was to her, it was a good thing, and she felt warm just thinking about him. Carol heard the phone beep faintly in her ear.

"Gotta go, Mich."

"What? No!" Carol hung up and checked her missed calls. She smiled and bit her lip when she saw Daryl's name pop up on her missed call screen. She quickly touched the call back button, and within a moment, his voice was in her ear.

"Hey," he murmured. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Me?" she asked innocently, "oh, I'm just lying naked on a hotel bed."

"Jesus. Fuck, really?" She giggled at the curiosity in his voice.

"Well, not really. I'm lying on a hotel bed, just not naked. I can get that way in three seconds though."

"Fuck, what hotel?"

"What?" she laughed.

"I wanna see you."

"Daryl," she laughed, "what? Aren't you working?"

"C'mon, it's my lunch break. I gotta take an extra hour anyway." Carol licked her lips.

"I'm at the Royal on Hillard street. Room 332." The line went dead, and Carol felt the heat rush through her body at the thought of him rushing to see her. She lay back on the bed, thankful that Glenn had decided to go out of town for a couple of days so the office was closed. The last thing she wanted to do at the moment was go to work and sit around listening to a bunch of people whining about their coughs or their sniffles. She had enough problems going on that she really didn't feel like dealing with a bunch of strangers' maladies.

She rolled over and pulled herself off the bed, moving to the bathroom. She stripped down to nothing and turned the shower on. As she showered, her hands moved over her body, ghosting over the places she yearned for him to touch. She bit her lip and forced herself to control her urges, moaning softly when she imagined his lips all over her breasts and her stomach.

Before she knew it, the water began to run cold, so she quickly shut it off and wrapped a towel around herself. She slipped out of the bathroom and checked her phone. No messages. She paced anxiously, wishing he'd hurry, wishing he was there already. She tossed the towel aside and was about to reach for her clothes when she froze, biting her lip and grinning mischievously. Instead, she grabbed a bathrobe off the back of the bathroom door, and she pulled the belt, hiding herself beneath the soft material.

It wasn't long before she heard a knock at the door, and her heart fluttered in her chest. She moved across the room to the door, peering out the peephole, biting her lip to stifle a giggle at the sight of Daryl leaning against the door frame, face red, hair in his eyes, breathing hard. He must have really gotten there in a hurry. Had he ran there?

"Who is it?" she asked innocently, her hand playing with the door knob.

"Carol," he groaned.

"Sorry, Mister, I don't know any Carols."

"Shit, please, Carol? Open the door." She quickly unlocked the door and threw it open, and he stood there, chest heaving, staring at her in the fluffy white bath robe as beads of water dripped from her hair and down her cleavage, disappearing into the fabric.

"Did you run?" she asked.

"Naw, but I pretty much ran through every yellow light. Almost got pulled over."

"Daryl!" she laughed, as he stepped in and shut the door, grabbing her waist and pulling her close, his lips crashing down on hers. She moaned against his mouth, her laughter giving way to passion, and he turned her around, backing her up against the door, pressing into her, needing to feel her as much as she needed him.

"God, I missed this. Missed you," he murmured as he moved to kiss her neck. She gasped as his hand cupped her breast through the fabric of the bathrobe, and she arched her back, pushing herself into his hand. She was wrapped around him now, walking him backward toward the bed. When his knees hit the mattress, they both went down, her landing on top of him, her mouth attacking his with feverish kisses. She groaned when his hand slipped inside her robe, sliding over her stomach, the action loosening the belt enough for it to untie and the garment to fall open, revealing her naked form to him in all of her glory.

Gripping her hips, he flipped her over onto her back, crawling over her, pressing kisses over her shoulder, neck and jaw. She moaned softly, pulling her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, needing more of him. She knew, in that moment, she'd never get enough.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Her hands were in his hair the second his mouth closed over her nipple and his teeth grazed her. She groaned, arching upward and pushing herself further into his mouth. His hand moved between her legs, stroking her slick heat and eliciting a whimper from her as she bit her lip and threw her head back on the pillow. He lay against her, skin to skin, his clothes but a distant memory in a pile on the floor. He began to move down her body, and she gasped when his hot tongue circled her belly button.

"Please," she whimpered. "Daryl…" Hs kissed her stomach, moving further, his hands spreading her thighs and his tongue darting out to circle her clit. She bit back her cries, and her hips lunged forward, knocking him in the chin. He chuckled and tasted her again, his mouth and fingers torturing her in the most delicious way.

Her heart thundered in her chest, and she looked down at him, seeing his eyes fixed on hers as she tasted her, and that was all it took to push her over the edge. She cried out, and Daryl placed his hand on her stomach to steady her as she trembled and came. He kissed the inside of her thigh before moving back up, settling his hips against hers and stroking her damp cheep.

Her breathing slowed a little, and her eyes fluttered open to stare up into his deep, blue ones. She smiled tiredly, and he kissed her. She moaned at the taste of herself on his lips, bringing her arms around his shoulders when she felt his erection pressing against her.

"So you wanted to see me?" she teased, leaning in to gently pull his lower lip with her teeth. He grunted when her hand moved between them and wrapped around his dick.

"Fuck," he grunted, burying his head against her shoulder. She grinned and stroked him, feeling him pulse in her hands.

"I missed you too," she murmured. He looked up at her, fire in his eyes, and she kissed him again. He buried his moans against her lips, and when she let go of his dick, he grunted and rolled off of her long enough to grab his jeans off the floor. He fished out a small square packet, opened it and rolled the condom into place. He looked at her, his cheeks flushed, and she gave him a little smile, caressing the side of his face. He settled down against her again, his hips pressed against hers, his dick pushing against her belly. "Tell me what you want, Daryl."

"You," he breathed, his lips lingering a breath apart from hers. She smiled, her eyes clouding with tears momentarily. "All of you."

"You've got me. I'm yours," she whispered, as he pressed his lips against hers in a searing, claiming kiss.

"Mine," he growled against her mouth, his hand caressing her hip and hooking behind her knee to bring her leg around his waist. He sunk into her, and she whimpered as he stretched her, her breaths hot against his mouth. "Fuck, Carol."

"Yeah," she murmured, her tongue dipping into his mouth, her hands moving down his back and over his ass as he thrust into her. Her walls stretched and spasmed as he moved inside of her, and the sounds coming out of her throat were almost enough to drive him over the edge.

They moved together, wrapped in one another, her taking him in, him taking her to places she'd only ever dreamed of, and when they came together, he collapsed against her, his body heavy and warm against hers, and her hands trembled as she dragged them up his back and into his shaggy hair.

Hey lay against her, his forehead pressed against her chest for the longest time, willing the breath back into his body as her hands moved over him. When he finally rolled off of her and got rid of the condom, he settled back against the bed and pulled her into his arms. She kissed his chest lovingly, her finger tracing lazy circles around his nipple. He moaned softly and squeezed her shoulder.

Neither of them spoke for several minutes, and finally, rational thought came back to Daryl. He cleared his throat and gave her shoulder a little nudge. She looked up at him.

"Hmm?" she asked, her eyelids heavy with exhaustion and satisfaction.

"You're in a hotel."

"Yeah," Carol said, a soft grin playing across her features. "I am."

"What's that mean?" he asked. She sat up in the bed, pulling the bed sheet up, tucking it under her arms to cover herself. Daryl sat up too, his head swimming from what they'd just done and the anticipation of what she was about to tell him.

Carol smiled and leaned in to kiss him, leaning her forehead against his for a moment. His hands were on her shoulders, and he brought her back for another tender kiss. When they finally broke apart, Carol stroked the side of his face.

"I did it, Daryl," she murmured. "I left Ed." She saw the hope behind his eyes as a happy but tentative smile slowly appeared on his face. "I told him everything. I told him about you. I told him I didn't love him the way I loved him when we got married. I just…I did it, Daryl. I told him it's over, and I told him everything. You showed me what it's like to feel happy again. You made me realize I could leave Ed and that everything would be ok." She saw the worry crease his brow, and she took his hand in hers.

"Carol, I don't wanna be the only reason you leave your husband. I don't want it to be like that between us."

"I left my husband a long time ago," she murmured, placing her hand over her heart. "In every way but one. Meeting you was like waking up from a bad dream. You gave me something I haven't had for a very long time." He raised an eyebrow, and she grinned. "_Not _that. Okay, well, that, but not just that." She blushed. "You made me feel wanted. You made me feel…" Her heart fluttered as her brain screamed at her not to say it, but it was too late. "Loved." His head snapped up, and he looked into her eyes. He saw the flush of red move into her cheeks, and he squeezed her hands.

"You are loved," he murmured, his own cheeks reddening. He leaned in and kissed her gently, hearing her gasp against his mouth. She moaned as he deepened the kiss, gently easing her back down on the bed. His heart was hammering against his chest like crazy, and he couldn't calm the jumble of nerves tangling up inside of him. When he pulled back, he saw the sparkle of tears in her eyes, and he brushed his thumb over her cheek. "I know we're gettin' to know each other. I know we ain't known each other very long, but I do, Carol." She felt his hands trembling against her shoulders, and she took a shaky breath and sniffled, holding back the tears. "I love you, Carol."

"I love you," she whispered, closing her eyes as he leaned in to kiss her once again. They made love again, taking their time, gently exploring one another as if it was the first time.

"Move in with me." The words came out of nowhere, and Carol flinched in surprise.

"What?"

"Move in with me," Daryl repeated, as he stood by the bed pulling his clothes on and getting ready to go back to work.

"Daryl," she said quietly. "I don't know. I _just_ left Ed. I can't…I need time on my own." He sat down on the bed to pull his boots on, and Carol crawled over toward him, still completely naked, and she snaked her arms under his, wrapping herself around him, her chest pressed against his back. "Besides, you've got your daughter, and maybe it's not the best idea for me to be there yet. You need time with her."

"I got all the time in the world," he murmured, turning his head and capturing her lips. She let the kiss linger for a moment before pulling back.

"I would _love _to wake up with you every morning," she murmured, her hands stroking his chest. "But I need some time to myself. I need time to pick up whatever's left of who I used to be and figure out exactly who I am now."

"You're Carol," he said with a grin. "My Carol."

"You gonna mark your territory by peeing on me or something?" she asked with a laugh.

"If you're into that kinda thing," he teased. She playfully slapped his shoulder, and he turned, easing her back down onto the mattress, crawling over her, fully clothed. She moaned as he suckled her neck, his hand moving up her ribs and over her breast, giving her a gentle squeeze. Finally, he pulled back just a little.

"Don't know who you used to be. Don't know what kinda woman you were with Ed, but I know you now. You're beautiful. You got a fire inside you try and hold back 'til you can't no more. You feel so much, and sometimes ya can't handle it. You love with everything ya got, even if it tears you up." Carol choked back a sob when he kissed her, and he pulled back again. "I know leavin' Ed was somethin' ya had to do on your own."

"I know everybody's going to look at me like I'm the one that broke up our marriage," Carol said quietly. "Ed's the kinda guy that'll tell people I'm the one who hurt him, and that I'm some heartless bitch who cheated on her husband because she couldn't wait for him to finish grieving his daughter." Daryl squeezed her shoulder.

"But I know that ain't you. Anybody knows you, and they oughta know that ain't you." Carol sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"Maybe it is."

"Stop," he urged. "Don't make it sound like that."

"I'm…I mean, maybe…what if that is how he sees it? What if…"

"You don't got nothin' to be sorry about, alright? If Ed's any kind of man, he oughta be able to own up to what he did wrong." Carol sighed and relaxed a little, letting him kiss her again. The alarm on his cell phone went off, and he groaned.

"Damn," he grumbled, pulling himself off of her. "I could call work and tell 'em I ain't comin' back in today."

"Don't do that," Carol said with a shake of her head, sitting up and pulling the sheet around herself again.

"Alright," he said uncertainly. "Can ya promise me somethin'?"

"I can try," she offered.

"Promise me you'll stay with me tonight. At my house."

"Daryl…"

"C'mon. I got a big, comfortable bed. It's gotta be better than this one."

"Oh, I dunno, we made it work today, didn't we?" she teased.

"Stop," he grunted, a grin sneaking onto his lips. "Tell me you'll stay with me tonight." Carol chewed her lip nervously before nodding her head a little.

"Alright, Daryl. I'll stay with you tonight."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Instead of waiting around anxiously all day at the hotel for Daryl to get off of work, Carol had checked out of the hotel and had asked Michonne to meet her for coffee. Now, the two of them sat at their favorite coffee place, and little Andre slept soundly in his stroller with his favorite toy clutched in his hands.

"So," Michonne said quietly, sipping her latte, "how do you feel?"

"Amazing," Carol said with a smile on her face. "I mean, I just…I didn't realize how happy I would be to finally have it…over, you know?"

"I've gotta say, this Daryl guy suits you. Haven't seen you this happy in a long time." Michonne gave Carol a prize-winning smile. "I have to meet him."

"You will. He's...well, I don't think he's going anywhere anytime soon. He, uh, he wants me to move in with him."

"What?!" Michonne nearly choked. She put her cup down and wiped her mouth on her napkin. "Please tell me you said no!"

"Yes," Carol said with a nod. "I mean, yes, I said no. He knows I'm not ready for it. He's not pushing me. He just…he wants to be with me, and it's…I can't describe the feeling."

"Oh, you've got it bad," Michonne grinned, resuming sipping her drink. "So what's next?"

"Well, tonight I'm staying at his house." She caught Michonne's glance. "Don't look at me like that. It's not like I'm taking luggage." Michonne eyed the bag on the floor. "Come on, it's just an overnight bag."

"Okay," Michonne said, raising her brows. "What happens tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow, I'm meeting with a lawyer and starting the whole divorce process."

"You getting the house?"

"I don't want the house. It's his house. All I want are my things and a few of Sophia's. I just want to move on, you know?"

"I get that," Michonne said with a sad smile. "I still want to meet him."

"You will. I promise," Carol assured her. "I want you to meet him. He's a great guy."

"If he makes you happy, then I'm happy, but as your best friend, I will kick his ass if he _ever_ does anything to hurt you. I'm still not entirely convinced I shouldn't kick Ed's ass." Carol gave her a sheepish grin and shook her head.

"You might get your chance if you're willing to help me get my things from Ed's after work tomorrow."

"Sure. Andre'll be with Mike's mom tomorrow night, so I'll be free as a bird."

"Thank you," Carol murmured, sipping at her own cup of coffee. "I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it. Oh, but if you _do_ want to make it up to me, you can let me meet Daryl." Michonne batted her eyelashes innocently, and Carol rolled her eyes.

"Ever hear the saying 'patience is a virtue?'"

"You _do_ realize who you're talking to, right? Patience is not in my vocabulary." Andre woke from his nap and began to fuss, reaching out for Michonne.

"Mommy. Mommy!" he grunted, his little fingers wiggling impatiently as he reached out for Michonne.

"I see your son's more like you than you think," Carol laughed. Michonne grinned and shrugged her shoulders, picking her son up out of the stroller.

"This ever gonna be you again?" Michonne wondered, eyeing Carol curiously.

"What?" Carol asked.

"You? Daryl? A baby?"

"What?! Michonne, I don't…I don't know. It's…I'm too old to…"

"If you're still buying condoms and birth control—you are on the pill right?—then you're obviously not too old."

"That's not what I meant. I meant…I had a baby, and it was a rough pregnancy, and I'm not even sure I could ever put myself through that again." She shook her head. "I mean, if I had a baby next year, I'd be in my sixties when they graduated high school."

"So?" Michonne asked. "I went to school with plenty of kids who had older parents."

"Michonne," Carol groaned, "I don't…I'm not even sure what's happening tomorrow or next week, let alone nine months, a year, ten years down the road. Besides, Daryl has a baby. I told you that, right? She's beautiful. She's just…she's just the sweetest little thing." Carol's face brightened as she talked about Daryl's baby. Michonne found herself grinning.

"Yep . You've got it bad."

"What?"

"You love him _and_ his kid. I hear wedding bells already."

"Oh stop," Carol said, waving her hand to dismiss her friend's comments. "I need to end the marriage I'm already in first, remember?"

"Sure," Michonne said with an agreeable nod. Carol rolled her eyes at her again, and they continued their coffee date, celebrating the end of one chapter in Carol's life and the beginning of another.

Daryl paced the living room with Gracie wide awake in his arms. Cherokee whined and lifted his head from his bed in the corner of the room, watching Daryl as if wondering why his human was so antsy this evening.

Grace yawned and cooed when Daryl looked down at her. She opened her eyes just a little, long enough to look up at her father and manage a tiny half-smile. Then she was out again. Daryl kissed her forehead and gently brushed his hand over her soft, fuzzy little head.

"Alright, Gracie," Daryl murmured, peering out the window in search of any sign of Carol's car, "it's time for you to go to sleep." He kissed her forehead again. "And if you could sleep through the night for the very first time tonight, your daddy sure would appreciate it." The baby grunted in her sleep, and Daryl chuckled, cradling her close.

He carried her back to her nursery and put her down in the crib, making sure to turn the night light on so he'd be able to see to get to her should she cry in the night. He made certain she was laying the way the baby books said she should lay, and he stood there over her crib for a few moments, just watching her tiny little chest rise and fall.

"Love you, Gracie girl. Sweet dreams." He turned and walked out of the room, grabbing the baby monitor and switching it on. He headed back down the hall and placed the monitor down on the coffee table. It was then he heard the soft squeal of brakes and the cut off of an ignition. He moved to the window to see Carol getting out of the car and hurrying up the sidewalk with a bag in her hand. His heart swelled, and he hurried to the door.

Cherokee was at his heels in half a second. When Daryl opened the front door, Carol's face lit up at the sight of him waiting for her. She gave him a little smile, and he opened the screen so she could step inside.

"You came," he murmured.

"Of course I did," she said softly, as he took her things and put them down on the sofa. He closed the door and brought her into his arms, holding her close, burying his face against the crook of her neck, inhaling the intoxicating Carol scent that he loved so much.

"You hungry?"

"I could eat," she said curiously. "You cooked?"

"Hey, I can cook…some stuff. If it makes ya feel any better, I ordered pizza. Should be here in a few minutes."

"Pizza sounds great," she said with a smile, her stomach rumbling.

"Wasn't sure what ya liked."

"I love pizza. I love cake. I love ice cream. Basically, give me anything with sugar, and you have a friend for life." Carol smiled when she saw the smile cross his lips, and she stood on her tiptoes to give him a peck on the lips. His hands moved up her neck to cup her face, and he deepened the kiss, his tongue gently sliding between her lips. She moaned softly against his mouth, opening up to him, her head swimming, her knees shaking, he body reacting to all the ideas of what they might be doing tonight.

It wasn't long before a knock at the door broke them apart, and Carol, face flushed and lips slightly swollen from the kiss, moved to sit on the couch while Daryl paid the delivery man.

Daryl returned from the door with a box in his hand, and Carol's stomach rumbled at the first whiff of a supreme pizza. She realized, suddenly, that she hadn't had pizza in a long time, and her mouth was watering.

Daryl grabbed a couple of plates from the kitchen.

"You want a drink? Beer?"

"I'll take iced tea if you have it," she murmured. "Never did like the taste of beer."

"It's a..whaddya call it? Acquired taste?"

"Well," she laughed, following him into the kitchen, "the way I feel about it is that if you have to get used to something gross to enjoy it, why bother in the first place?"

"Good point," Daryl said with a shrug. He grabbed a bottle of cold iced tea out of the fridge and handed it to her. Carol smiled a little, taking a peek into the fridge, noticing how everything he had seemed to be store bought, nothing made from scratch. It suddenly occurred to her that he really needed a woman's touch around the place, somebody to make him homemade sweet tea and down home cooking.

They sat down at the table and began to eat, chattering about nothing in particular. Finally, Carol looked over her shoulder.

"Where's Grace?"

"She's sleepin' like a baby," he said with a smile. "We had a talk, see?'

"Oh yeah?" She raised her brows in teasing curiousity. "And what did Miss Grace have to say at six weeks old?"

"She promised her daddy she'd sleep through the night so he could have some alone time with Miss Carol."

"Oh she did, huh?"

"Yep. She knows it's about time she starts sleepin' through the night, and tonight's gonna be the night."

"Oh, she's very considerate," Carol said with a grin, taking a sip of tea. Carol cleared her throat and put down the bottle of tea. "Tell me about you."

"Huh?"

"I don't know much about you. Where'd you grow up? What were your parents like?"

"Ain't much to tell," he said with a shrug. "Didn't really know my folks." Carol cocked her head to the side, propping her face in her hand, elbow on the table. He sighed, realizing he wasn't getting out of it that easily.

"Shit," he murmured. "Grew up 'round here, a few miles south. Wasn't no country boy, no farm boy. Lived in a little shithole neighborhood where playin' outside was only somethin' you ought to do with adult supervision. Since we didn't have none of that, me'n Merle—that's my brother—we pretty much stayed away from home, went fishin'. We had these ancient bikes, like antiques. Kids made fun of us for ridin' 'em, called 'em grandma bikes or some shit." He took a swig of his beer. "My daddy worked in a factory, my mama was a chain-smokin' meth head." Carol felt her stomach twist as Daryl spoke about his past.

"I had no idea, Daryl."

"Yeah," he muttered. "Me and Merle was out fishin' one day. I was about eight. We got home, and the fire department was there, the whole trailer was up in flames. Turns out my mama had a meth lab in the back of the trailer."

"Oh God, Daryl," Carol murmured, her hand going up to her mouth.

"My daddy claimed he didn't know nothin' 'bout it, and he moved me'n Merle a couple blocks down to a new trailer. He pretty much drank himself to death by the time I was fourteen." He saw the tears glistening in Carol's eyes, and he reached over and squeezed her hand to let her know it was alright. "Got bounced around to different foster homes 'til I was eighteen. I tried to stay in one spot, but Merle'd always come around, and my foster folks never wanted nothin' to do with him. He always kinda screwed up every place I stayed, but he was my brother, ya know?"

"What ever happened to your brother?"

"He's still around. Don't see him too much. He's into drugs and shit I don't want no part of. Don't want my daughter around that shit. He came to see her when he heard 'bout her, and I told him he ain't to come 'round unless he's clean. He took off, and I ain't seen him since."

"I'm so sorry, Daryl," she murmured. He shrugged.

"I ain't tryin' to make a Lifetime movie about it. I just figure I don't make the same mistakes as my folks, and I'll be alright. Never much had any desire to get drugged out of my mind anyhow. Don't want Grace to have the same life I had growin' up, you know?" Carol placed her hand on top of his, and she gave his hand a little rub.

"I'm sorry for what you went through," she said quietly.

"That's life, right? Ain't no use in dwellin' on it, ya know? It's what happened to them, but it ain't happenin' to me. Not anymore."

"You're a good man," Carol murmured. "You're gonna be a great dad, Daryl Dixon." The tears made her eyes sparkle, and Daryl leaned across the table, kissing her softly.

"Thank you," he murmured. She leaned her forehead against his and sighed, taking in the moment. "Your turn."

"Mine," she said softly, pursing her lifts in a soft hum. "Well, that's…kind of a boring story. I grew up here in Georgia. My mother was a nurse, and my father was a preacher." Daryl raised an eyebrow, Carol snorted. "Don't look so surprised."

"Not surprised. Not at all," he said with a grin. "Preacher's daughter, huh? That's kinda hot." Carol laughed and rolled her eyes, taking another bite of pizza before continuing her story.

"I was your average, every day preacher's daughter that liked to sneak out with her friends and have a good time. I got in trouble. A lot. But my parents were good people. They didn't try to lock me in my room or throw the Bible at me. They just tried to raise me the best they could. They made mistakes, but who doesn't? We took family vacations, we went to church on Sundays to see my dad preach, and we ate meals together."

"Sounds nice," Daryl said quietly, eyeing her from across the table.

"It was." She smiled sadly. "My dad died when I turned twenty, and my mom kind of lost herself a little. I got a job and helped with the bills until she got on her feet. She passed away about ten years ago. The last thing she told me she wanted was to have a granddaughter." She felt the tears in her eyes. "I wish she could have met Sophia. She would have spoiled her rotten."

"Wish my girl had a grandma to spoil her."

"What about her mother's parents?"

"She didn't have parents, either. She was a foster kid, like me. Don't really know much else about her, but I'm the only family Gracie's got." Carol squeezed his hand.

"That's ok. She'll just grow up knowing her dad loved her so much that he did everything he could to give her everything he didn't have." She kissed him softly. "You're amazing, Daryl. You really are. And trust me, Grace will think so too. It sounds like you're already everything your dad wasn't, and you're just getting started."

Daryl eyed her, his heart swelling, and he wanted to say so many things to her in that moment, things he knew might frighten her, might send her out that door. The love he felt for her was beyond anything he'd ever expected to feel for anyone, and here she was, telling him he was worth something, that he was a good person, that he was everything his father told him he wasn't when he was growing up.

"Daryl?" she asked, noticing the way he was looking at her, his eyes fixed on hers, his hands trembling as he held her hands. "What's wrong?"

"Nothin'," he murmured. A little smile spread over his face. She cocked her head to the side, trying to read him, trying to figure out what was going on behind those gorgeous blue eyes. "I just love you."

"I love you too," she said with that beautiful smile. She leaned in, and she was kissing him again, and he swore to himself that he was going to spend the rest of his life making her smile like that if he could help it.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

_Many thanks to TheWalkingCaryl for helping me with some awkwardness in this chapter. _

Carol was officially in love with Daryl Dixon's bathroom. Well, to be more precise, she was officially in love with his bathtub. As she sat in his lap, her back pressed against his chest, his arms around her waist under her breasts, his lips on the back of her neck as the hot water warmed them both, she felt completely consumed with both desire and satisfaction. She moaned sleepily as his hand moved up to brush across her breast, his fingers lightly flicking over her nipple. Her armed moved back to wrap around his neck, her fingers curling into his hair.

His hand moved down from her breast, sliding down her stomach and down into the water. She bit her lip and spread her legs enough so that his hand could move to the soft curls between her legs. She gasped as he dipped two fingers inside of her, circling her clit with his thumb. She sucked in a sharp breath through clenched teeth and craned her neck back to see him. He captured her mouth with his own, his tongue slipping against hers as he caressed her.

When her chest began to rise and fall in ragged breaths, his movements became more immediate, more purposeful, the friction bringing her closer. She groaned as he slipped another finger inside of her, and her nails scratched the skin on the back of his neck. He sucked in sharp breath, and his kisses became more insistent. When he felt her clench around his fingers, her body shuddering as she rode the wave of her orgasm, he removed his hand and gently caressed her stomach as she came down from her high.

"God," she whispered, her eyes fluttering open as she turned in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and straddling his lap with her knees, "you really know how to show your houseguests a good time." Daryl snorted and pressed his face into her neck, his tongue sliding against her shoulder, his teeth grazing her there.

"Just the ones I like," he muttered, his hands moving around to stroke her back and her ass. She whimpered when she felt him hard against her thigh. She kissed him again, pressing into him as he lay back against the porcelain tub.

She slid against him, her entire body feeling on fire at the skin-on-skin contact, and she moaned against his mouth.

"Daryl," she cried out, her body aching for him.

"We should move this to the bedroom," he grunted, his dick straining and in desperate need to release. She knew what he meant. They needed to get a condom. But in this moment, she could barely move, and all she wanted was him.

"I'm on the pill," she offered, her cheeks blushing red as she looked at him. His lips parted in a desperate groan when her hand slipped around his dick. "I…I haven't been with anybody else. Not even Ed. Not for months." She stumbled over her words, her face reddening by the moment. Finally, she took a deep breath and looked him in the eye, hoping he wasn't offended that she was pressing him for details on his sex life.

"Me too. I mean…I ain't been with nobody else. Not…not for a long time." At this point, he wasn't even certain he was speaking English. All he knew was that her had was wrapped around him under the water and she was grinding against him, bringing him precariously close to the edge he was about to fall over. When she took her hand away and shifted in his lap, he felt like he was going to explode. "Fuck, I need…aw, fuck, I'm gonna…" Carol eased up a little, being careful not to touch any part of his groin for fear he'd completely lose control. "Carol…"

"It's alright," she murmured, kissing him again, making her choice. She kissed him until his breathing began to return to normal, and then she lowered herself down onto him, letting him fill her completely, reveling at the feel of him inside of her, no barriers. Just him. Just her. Perfection.

His hands were working all kinds of magic over her hips and back, and she buried her face against his neck, tasting him, her fingers threading through his wet hair. She kissed the hollow of his throat, her tongue sliding over his Adam's apple. He groaned, thrusting upward, and she looked upward, smiling at the sensation as she began to move with him, meeting his thrusts.

His mouth was on her shoulder now, moving lower, and she cried out, her muscles clenching around him when he sucked her breast into his mouth, his tongue swirling around her nipple until it was a sensitive bud being nipped between his teeth.

His hand moved between them, stroking her, teasing her clit, drawing a whimper out of her.

"Yeah," she whimpered. "There. Oh, God, Daryl. Please." She panted against him, her jaw tense, teeth clenched as her walls pressed in around him. He grunted, his head falling back against the edge of the tub, and he marveled at the way they fit so perfectly together, as if they were made solely for one another.

They eventually retired from the tub when the water began to cool, but they stayed in each other's arms all night, limbs tangled together in the bed sheets, hearts beating together as one.

Carol woke around three in the morning to the sound of a baby crying. Disoriented, she opened her eyes, trying to figure out where she was. When she heard Cherokee whimper and move to the bed at her stirring, she sighed and relaxed, remembering she was at Daryl's.

"Hi, Cherokee," Carol said with a smile, scratching the dog behind his ears. Cherokee licked his snout and nuzzled Carol's hand with his cold, wet nose. It was then that Carol heard something she hadn't been expecting. It was coming through the baby monitor, and she sat up in the bed, grabbing the monitor and holding it to her ear. She bit her lip and smiled when she heard Daryl's voice coming through loud and clear. He was singing. He wasn't a particularly bad singer, but it was what he was singing that had her on the verge of laughter.

She scooted out of bed, wrapping herself in a bed sheet. She silently padded down the hall, stopping when she reached the nursery door. He was singing _I'm a Little Teapot_ to his six-week-old daughter, and it was probably the cutest damned scene she'd ever witnessed in her life.

She peered through the crack in the door and watched as he paced around the nursery with her, holding her close in his arms, making silly faces at her as she whimpered and sucked at her bottle. When he was finished with his impressively Southern version of the classic children's song, he pressed tiny kisses to Gracie's forehead.

"You gonna go back to sleep for Papa, huh?" he asked. "Thought we had a deal. Thought you were gonna sleep through the night." He looked at the clock. "Well, you done pretty good, princess, but it ain't quite time to wake up yet. Nope. See, Carol's sleepin' down the hall, and we want her to get as much sleep as she can. She's had a bad few days, alright?" Gracie grunted as she sucked at her bottle. "Now be a good girl and close your eyes. Yeah…that's it. You're gonna finish this bottle and go right back to sleep. You're dry, your belly's full, and you're all warm."

Carol held her hand to her chest as she watched him rock the baby back and forth before gently putting her down in the crib and removing her bottle. The baby stretched for a moment, her eyes fluttering open, her mouth twisting as if she were about to cry, but she settled when he placed his hand on her little chest and rubbed it softly. She yawned and closed her eyes again. Carol sighed, her heart fluttering in her chest at the sight of Daryl being such a good daddy to his little girl. She bit her lip and held back the tears at the sweet sight. Still, she had a particularly amusing idea, so she hurried back to his room before he could discover her lurking.

She practically threw herself on the bed and turned back into the position she'd been laying in when she'd woken. Her heart pounded in her chest as she waited. She could hear him humming a few more bars to the baby for good measure, and then the monitor was silent.

Carol closed her eyes, trying not to make a move as Daryl moved back into the bedroom, scratching the side of his leg through his flannel pajama pants. He pulled back the covers and joined Carol in the bed, being careful not to jostle her too much.

Daryl curled up against her, the way they'd fallen asleep earlier, his hand brushing across her bare stomach. She moaned softly in her pretend sleep, and he nuzzled the back of her neck. She couldn't help but giggle silently as his stubble tickled her skin. Her shaking shoulders gave her away.

"You awake?" he asked, his hand rubbing her stomach, moving up to lazily caress her breast. She bit her lip and turned to face him, bringing her hand to his face before she kissed him.

"Can't sleep," she said softly, the devilish gleam in her eye going unnoticed in the darkness.

"S'wrong?" he asked sleepily, yawning and burying his face against her neck.

"I dunno," she said with a little shrug, her fingers dancing through his hair before she began to rub his neck. His hands began to move down to her hips. "Guess I'm just all steamed up." He froze, and Carol began to laugh again, this time unable to contain her amusement.

"What?"

"Hmm?" she asked innocently.

"Where'd you….what?"

"You know, you should do an album. You're very talented."

"Fuck," he muttered, his face so hot he wondered if it was glowing in the darkness. She laughed, and he buried his head against her neck again. "You heard?"

"Yes, and I'm glad I did," she said with a grin, kissing him again. "It was the most adorable thing I've ever seen."

"Get out," he joked. She laughed again, and he attacked her ribs with his fingers, tickling her, and her legs flailed in the bed.

"Daryl!" she squealed, as his mouth sucked at her neck.

"You're dreamin'," he murmured. "Yep, it was all a dream."

"Uh-huh, you keep telling yourself that," she laughed. "Please promise me you'll do an encore just for me."

"Stop," he grunted. She laughed again, and he crawled over her, quieting her with kisses. She began to hum the song, and he snorted, and they collapsed against one another, laughing and feeling happier than either one of them had for a very long time.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Did you talk to Ed?" Michonne asked as they drove in Carol's car toward the Pelletier house.

"No, I kept getting his voicemail. He's probably still at work, which works out perfectly for us, because I really don't want to see him or run into him."

"You gonna be ok if he is there?"

"I'll be fine." Carol's words sounded confident, but Michonne noticed the way she squirmed in the driver's seat and the way her hands were white-knuckling the steering wheel.

"Hey," Michonne said quietly, nudging her friend's shoulder. Carol glanced at her briefly before turning her attention back to the road.

"What?" Carol asked.

"It's gonna be ok. You're done with Ed. You're done."

"I know," Carol murmured. She'd met with her divorce lawyer on her lunch break that afternoon, and given that there was no arguments about property or anything like that, her lawyer was certain the divorce wouldn't take long to get. She warned Carol that it could take several months, but hopefully it would only be six to eight weeks, tops.

"So, how was your sleepover at Casa de Dixon?" Michonne asked, leaning back in the passenger's seat a little and smiling at her friend. Carol grinned a little, unable to hide the happiness in her eyes.

"It was great," Carol said softly. "Daryl made me waffles for breakfast, extra syrupy, just like I like them."

"How were they?" Michonne asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Terrible," Carol admitted.

"But you ate them?"

"Every bite. He was sweet, making breakfast for me."

"Oh, girl, you've got it bad."

"Mich, you should have seen him with that baby. He's so sweet with her. I can't really explain it. The Daryl that I met in the bar and spent time with is a great guy, but now I'm starting to see more and more of his life, and I just…I want to be with him, all the time. It kind of scares me."

"I understand that," Michonne said quietly. "You've been hurt before. You don't want to rush into anything."

"That's just it, though. Everything is rushed. When we're together, it's like we're trying to live our lives all at once, you know? It's like we try to slow down, but we end up going faster than we started."

"Is that a good or a bad thing?"

"Good, I think. I mean, when I'm with him, I just know that it's where I'm supposed to be. And when he touches me…"

"Okay, I get the picture," Michonne said with a little laugh. "You don't have to go into details." She caught Carol's glance. "Alright, maybe a few details. He's good, isn't he?"

"Shut up," Carol laughed. "Shit. We're here." Carol pulled up outside the house, and she took a deep, shaky breath. "Just breathe. Breathe. Breathe." Carol felt like she was in lamaze class, but she breathed through the bundled coil of nerves in her stomach, and finally, she nodded to Michonne. "Okay. Let's go."

Michonne helped Carol carry the foldout boxes up to the front door. Carol fumbled for her keys, and she said a silent thank you to the man upstairs that Ed hadn't changed the locks yet. When she stepped inside, the house was still and quiet, and she peered around, looking for any sign of her soon-to-be ex-husband.

"Ed?" she called. "You home?" No answer. Carol motioned for Michonne to follow her inside, and they set about packing up things room by room. Carol grabbed the photo album she'd delicately put together over the course of their marriage. She flipped through it, taking out the pictures she knew Ed would want. The ones of Ed and Sophia, she left, but she took the rest of Sophia's pictures, because she knew somewhere in the house there was a box with extra copies

They loaded box after box into the back of Caro's car, and by the time they reached Ed and Carol's room upstairs, Carol was beginning to worry they wouldn't have enough room to get the rest of the stuff out.

"I've got some more pictures and things under the bed in that clear tote," Carol pointed out as she grabbed a large suitcase out of the closet and started filling it with her clothes. Michonne knelt down by the bed and pulled out a large box. She opened it and started sifting through it. "Please don't open that…shoe box." She was too late. Michonne's choked laugh told her everything she needed to know.

"Holy shit!" Michonne laughed. "Did Ed know you had this?" Michonne held the box up to show Carol her own vibrator, and Carol's face turned every shade of red imaginable.

"Michonne!" Carol choked out, "oh my God!" Michonne snickered and put the lid back on the box. "Well, Mrs. Peletier, you are full of surprises."

"Don't call me that," Carol groaned, grabbing the shoe box and stuffing it into the suitcase with her clothes. Michonne crinkled her nose and laughed again, her own cheeks reddening. She wasn't the kind of girl who embarrassed easily, either, but finding her best friend's private stash was just a little too much information, even for her.

They continued packing up Carol's things, and they took the rest of her belongings out to the car.

"Is that it?" Michonne asked, wiping her hands on her pant legs.

"No, I just want to get a few things from Sophia's room. I already got her stuffed bunny, but I wanted to pick up a few other things. The outfit she wore home from the hospital, and the doll I bought her when she had to stay in the hospital overnight for the first time." Carol swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Alright, let's go," Michonne said with a nod, heading for the house.

"It's ok," Carol said quietly. "I'll just be a couple minutes. Could you wait out here?" Michonne nodded in understanding.

"Sure. Take your time." Michonne turned to get in the car, and Carol headed back into the house.

Carol climbed the stairs up to the little room just off the landing, and when she opened the door, she gasped to find that it was completely empty. Everything from the furniture to the butterfly decals were gone, and the carpet was stripped down to the wood underneath. The walls were repainted a flat white. Carol felt it hit her like a punch in the stomach, and she gripped the door knob, feeling her knees giving out and the air rushing out of her lungs. She collapsed to the floor, the tears falling freely now, and she covered her mouth with her hand, stifling her sobs as she realized that Ed had erased every trace of their little girl from that room.

"Sophia," she cried out, leaning her back against the door frame, pulling her knees up to toward her chest. She buried her face in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably as the realization hit her that all she had left of her daughter was a stuffed animal, a handful of photographs and memories that would inevitably fade over time.

"Want me to call someone? Call Daryl?" Michonne asked as she and Carol sat in the front of Carol's car. Michonne was in the driver's seat, seeing as Carol was in no condition to drive.

"No," Carol said hesitantly. "I'll be alright."

"I don't believe you," Michonne replied. "Carol, that son of a bitch just took everything of your daughter's and…"

"Don't," Carol murmured numbly. "Just…don't." Michonne sighed and stared at her friend.

"I'm so sorry, Carol," she said softly. "Please, just let me call someone for you."

"Just drop me off at the hotel."

"No," Michonne balked. "You're not staying by yourself. Not right now."

"Mich, I…"

"No. I'll talk to Mike. You can store your stuff in our garage, and you can…you can sleep at our place."

"No, I couldn't do that," Carol said softly. "I'll find a place. I just have to…I need a couple of days. The hotel will suit me fine." Michonne sighed heavily and went for it. She grabbed Carol's cell phone. "Michonne!"

"This is for your own good," Michonne said with a shrug, pulling open Carol's contact list and hitting dial on Daryl's number.

"Damn it, Michonne, stop!" Carol grabbed for the phone, but Michonne tugged it away from her.

"Hey," came the voice on the other line.

"Uh, hi, is this Daryl?"

"Who's this? Why are you callin' on Carol's phone?"

"Daryl, this is Michonne, Carol's friend. You need to come and get her."

"Uh, what's goin' on? She ok?"

"She's alright, but she's being stubborn as hell," Michonne replied. Carol covered her face, mortified, as Michonne carried on a conversation with Daryl. "She needs a place to stay, and I know she doesn't wanna move in with you yet, but can you talk some sense into her? She won't come home with me, and I'm sure as hell not leaving her in a hotel room all night." There was a pause. "Yeah. Here." Michonne nudged Carol's arm, and she handed her the phone. Carol glared at her for a moment before taking the phone in her hand.

"Daryl, I'm sorry," Carol murmured. "My _friend_ doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut." Michonne smirked at her. "I'm fine. No, I'm just…_no_, Daryl, I told you how I feel about that. I'll find a place. I just…no. Daryl, please. No, I'm fine." She shot another glare at Michonne who batted her lashes innocently. Finally, Carol sighed. "Alright. Alright. Yeah. I'll tell her. Okay. See you soon. I love you, too." Carol hung up.

"So, where to?" Michonne asked, getting another glare from Carol.

"I hate you right now."

"Uh-huh. Deal with it," Michonne said with a shrug. "Your Daryl and I have something in common. Neither one of us thinks you need to be alone. He's smart, I'll give him that." Carol closed her eyes and leaned back in the seat. "How we getting there?"

"Take a right at the second light. Take it all the way down to Montana Drive and take a left."

"Great. Let's go."

When Michonne pulled up outside of Daryl's house, Daryl was waiting out on the front porch. Michonne glanced at Carol, seeing her face light up just at the sight of him. He walked out to meet them, baby monitor in hand, and when Carol got out of the car, Daryl pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head, not sure what was upsetting her so much but figuring he'd find out eventually. He glanced up at the woman who got out of the driver's side, and he nodded to her.

"Daryl Dixon," he said with a nod.

"I'm Michonne Daniels," she said with a little nod. "It's nice to finally meet you." She extended her hand, and Daryl shook it uncertainly.

"Thanks for bringin' her." Michonne nodded. "You need a ride home?"

"Nah, I'll call Mike. He can pick me up. He works a few blocks away."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," Michonne said with a nod.

"Well, come on in, have a drink or somethin' while you wait," he offered. Michonne nodded gratefully, and the three of them walked up the path to the house.

Once inside, Cherokee came running over to greet Carol, pushing his nose into her hand. She smiled and scratched him behind the ears, and he whined a little before licking her hand.

After Michonne called Mike, the three of them sat around the kitchen table, and Daryl pulled out bottles of water and iced tea, passing them around. Carol picked a loose strand on the knee of her jeans, and Michonne and Daryl exchanged glances.

"We got all Carol's things packed up," Michonne noted. "Everything's in the car."

"You can store 'em here if you want," Daryl said quietly, glancing at Carol. "'Til you find a place." He knew she didn't want to move in with him yet, still, for him, that was the best place she could possibly be.

"Thank you, Daryl, but I'll find a place," Carol said with a little smile.

"Well, tonight, you're stayin' here."

"Are you sure?" Carol asked gently.

"'Course I'm sure." Michonne watched the way Daryl gently took Carol's hand in his and looked at her like she was the only woman in the room. She liked that. She decided she liked Daryl Dixon. A horn honked outside, and Michonne and Carol jumped.

"Well, that must be _my_ knight and shining armor right now." She rolled her eyes a little, and the three of them stood. Michonne hugged her friend, and Carol sighed against her shoulder. "You gonna be ok?"

"I'll be fine," Carol assured her. "Thank you for all of your help today. I really appreciate it."

"Anytime. I know you'd do the same for me." Mike honked outside again. She rolled her eyes playfully and grinned. "Which might be sooner rather than later." Carol smiled a little and hugged her again.

"Nice to meet ya," Daryl said with a nod, walking Michonne to the door. "Thanks again for bringin' her. Woulda gone myself, but I didn't know where she lived."

"No problem," Michonne said with a little shrug. "Just take care of her, ok? It's been a rough day."

"Thanks for the heads up," he said with a nod. Michonne turned and left the house, rushing out to the car to meet Mike. Daryl closed the door after her and walked back into the kitchen. Carol wasn't there. A momentary rush of panic flew through him, but he calmed when he saw Cherokee staring at him from the hallway. He walked down to find Carol standing in the doorway of the nursery, leaning against the door frame.

Moving behind her, he gently slid his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. She leaned against his strong chest and sighed, closing her eyes and running her hands over his strong arms.

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked as he leaned his chin on her shoulder and stared over at the crib where Grace slept so peacefully.

"My little girl's room was kind of like this," she said softly. "Everything was pink though, and she had butterflies on the wall." She smiled sadly at the fond memory. "I went to get my things from the house today, and I saved her room for last. I wanted a few things of hers, you know, sentimental things."

"Sure," he said quietly, gently rubbing her stomach as she leaned back against him.

"I went to her room, and I expected to see it the way I left it, you know? The way it was when I left. But Ed…he just…he completely removed every trace of my little girl from that room. He tore up the carpet. He painted. He took all of her furniture and toys and clothes out. I don't know where they are." She shook her head. "He did all of that in one night. The paint was still fresh on the walls." She felt the tears in her eyes. "Why would he do that?"

"Maybe he don't know how to deal with the hurt yet," he said quietly.

"Or maybe he's just a petty son of a bitch," Carol muttered, tensing in Daryl's arms.

"Hey," he murmured against her ear. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," she said softly. She turned in his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck, and she leaned her forehead against his. "I miss her, Daryl. Every day. And he knew that, and he…he just took away everything." He brushed his thumb across her cheek when a tear slipped down, and he leaned forward to kiss her.

"Not everything." He gently placed his hand against her chest. "You got everything you ever need to remember Sophia in here." Carol gasped, her breath shaking as she tried not to cry. "You're her mama, and nothin'll ever change that. You don't need things to remember her."

"No," she said softly, "but it's…how could he do this?"

"Hey," he murmured. "It's gonna be ok, Carol. Don't let this break you. Don't give 'im the satisfaction." He kissed her again softly. She sighed against his lips and curled up against his chest, her hands tucking into the neck of his shirt, curling her fingers there, pulling him closer. She nuzzled her nose against his neck and sighed. "But if ya want, I can track 'im down and kick his ass for ya." Carol chuckled against his neck, and she shook her head.

"No," she said softly. "I just want it over. I don't ever want to see that son of a bitch again." She swallowed hard and rested her head on his shoulder as he held her.

"C'mon," he murmured, pulling back and taking her hand, leading her down the hall. He led her to his room, and they piled onto the bed. He pulled her close against him, and she snuggled against his chest, sighing softly as he wrapped his arms around her, burying his face against her hair as her breath hit his neck. He stroked her hair until he felt her relax against him, and when he was sure she was sleeping, he let himself drift off, too.

Before he drifted off to sleep, he felt the bed shift as Cherokee jumped up to stretch across the foot of the bed. Daryl raised an eyebrow, and the dog whimpered and yawned and finally rested his head against Carol's feet and closed his eyes.

"Find your own girl. This one's mine," Daryl chuckled, turning his attention back to Carol, kissing her forehead and closing his eyes to join her in sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

_Author's Note: You guys still hanging in there? _

Chapter 14

"Oh God!" Carol exclaimed, her face red with embarrassment. Daryl's face was equally red, and his mouth open and fell a couple of times out of speechlessness, and his eyes went from her face to the contents in the shoe box. "Oh God. Okay, Daryl, just, put the box down." Daryl practically tossed it onto the bed, and Carol moved to put the lid back on before stuffing the box under her bed. She sat down next to him on the edge of the bed and buried her face in her hands. "So, I didn't exactly want you to see that."

"You've got one of…of those?"

"A vibrator? Yeah," she laughed. "Well, I was married to _Ed_." She shrugged. "Besides, there's nothing wrong with it. It's natural for a woman to…"

"Hey, I ain't…I ain't judgin' you. It's kinda hot. Just wasn't expectin' it." The color of his face was slowly returning to normal. He'd been helping her unpack at her new apartment when he'd picked up the box and the lid had fallen off.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I haven't felt the need to use it since I met you." She nudged his shoulder with her own, and he snorted.

"Good to know," he murmured. He eyed the box and then her again.

"What?"

"Nothin'," he muttered.

"Tell me," she said, biting her lip and trying not to laugh.

"You…you really used that thing?"

"Sure," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice. "I mean, it's…it's…well, I'm not ashamed of it. I'm just…a little embarrassed that you found it."

"Nah, don't be embarrassed." He eyed the box again.

"Okay, Daryl. Spit it out."

"Just…how…I mean…" His face turned red again. The realization hit her.

"You want to watch?" she asked. He made a choking sound in the back of his throat, but he didn't deny it. "You want to watch me touch myself?" He was sweating now, and she leaned in to kiss him. He licked his lips and fell against her, his mouth insistent against hers, kissing her hungrily as he pressed her down against the mattress. "Daryl!" She cried out in surprise, her hands at his chest at first, but when his tongue dipped into her mouth, her hands bunched at his shirt, tugging. He pulled back enough to toss his shirt over his head, and he moved his attention back to her.

"Well," Carol gasped, as Daryl's mouth moved to her neck, sucking hungrily. "Maybe later, then." She giggled when he snorted against her neck, and as she sprawled out on the bed, she kicked the box off onto the floor, completely giving herself over to him.

"Well," Carol laughed, as Daryl rested his head against her breast. "That was…intense."

"Didn't know you could bend like that," he chuckled, his hand lazily caressing the outside of her thigh. She ran her fingers through his messy hair.

"Me neither," she laughed when he looked up at her. She kissed him hungrily, and he shifted to rest his hips against hers, his dick stirring against her thigh already. "I guess all those gymnastics I did in high school paid off."

"Gymnastics?" he asked, dipping down to take one of her nipples between his teeth. "You mean, with the spandex and the…and the flips…and splits?"

"Mmmhmm," she practically purred, gasping and arching her back when his tongue swirled over her nipple. "Just don't ask me to do the splits, because you might never get me out of that position." He raised an eyebrow when he turned his face up to look at her, as if devising a devilish plan. She swatted his shoulder, and he moved back up to kiss her lips and taste her again. She groaned into his mouth, her fingernails digging into his shoulders.

"Tell me," he murmured.

"Tell you what?" she asked breathlessly as his mouth moved to her neck again, his tongue darting out to trace along the hollow of her throat.

"Tell me what you do when you…" his words trailed off, and she bit her lip, her hips lunging forward, her legs opening up as he pressed against her. He held back, keeping himself from plunging into her. She whimpered as he moved his hips back. "Tell me how you touch yourself." She started to move her hand, but he took her hands in his and brought her arms up above her head. "Don't show me. Tell me." His command surprised her, excited her, frustrated her, and she cried out when his mouth closed over her breast.

"Daryl!" she whimpered. "Please…" He pulled back.

"Tell me," he urged, softer this time, a delicious smile spreading over his face as he bent lower to kiss her stomach. Her skin jumped under his touch, and she closed her eyes, feeling every bit of heat pooling at her center, her thighs trembling and growing damp and sticky again.

"I…uh…oh, God," she groaned as his hands moved down her sides, his fingers working magic across her sensitive skin. "I touch my breasts first. Gently, teasing the nipples." She felt her face grow hot as his eyes moved to her breasts, and he acted out her words with his hands, hands gently cupping her breasts, his fingers gently flicking over her nipples, getting a cry out of her. Her hips jumped off the mattress, and he pinned her down gently with his own hips. He was surprising himself with his assertiveness, but ever since he'd seen that blue vibrator, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her all alone, touching herself when nobody was looking. The thought aroused him beyond belief.

He replaced his hands with his mouth, teasing one nipple before moving to the other, his hot tongue stirring something inside of her, a hunger for more, a hunger she knew would never quite be satisfied. The more of him she got, the more she wanted, and her body was practically begging for his touch now.

"What next?" he asked, his hands playing at her waist, fingers ready to move, hands trembling as her stomach moved with her quick, sharp breaths.

"I…I move my hands lower, over my stomach, my fingertips just…just barely touching my skin." He began to touch her, gently, his fingers ghosting across her skin, sliding over the sensitive skin below her belly button. And then his mouth was on her, his tongue circling her belly button, and she was grabbing the bed sheets, her eyes screwed shut and her teeth clenched as she fought for control of herself.

She moaned softly when she felt his hands on her thighs, spreading her open as he scooted down the bed. She swallowed hard, looking down as he looked up at her, his mouth a breath away from her most sensitive skin. She panted softly, almost forgetting herself before he gave her thigh as squeeze.

"Then I touch myself," she said in almost a whisper, gently at first, just stroking." Her head fell back and she grew dizzy as his fingers barely touched her slick folds. She had tears in her eyes now, and she felt him kiss her inner thigh. "One finger inside." He did as she said, her narrative slowly turning into instruction, but he didn't mind. He gave her that sexy half-smile and pushed one finger in, watching as her eyes closed at the sensation of his calloused digit against her silky walls. "Another." He slipped another in, gently pumping them in and out of her, his thumb trembling against her clit as her hips bucked and wiggled beneath him. "Daryl!"

"Shh," he murmured. "S'ok. Lay back." She did just that, letting him take over, removing his fingers from her and replacing his hand with his mouth, kissing her, tasting her, sucking at her tender clit, feeling every tremble from her body against him as she cried out her pleasure, her hands moving to thread through his hair, tugging just enough to get his attention but not enough to hurt. He moaned softly as he made love to her with his mouth, and the vibrations were enough to bring her over the edge. Her whimpers turned to muted screams as she pulled the pillow over her face and buried her cries there. He kissed her stomach as he crawled back up and lifted her knee to bring her hips up against his. He sunk into her in the middle of her intense orgasm, and she cried out again, her walls clenching around him as he began to move.

She tossed the pillow aside, and he sucked her lower lip into his mouth before his tongue begged entrance, and they moved together, him thrusting into her until his body gave out, releasing into her, spilling over, two as one, limbs tangled, breaths weak, hearts pounding. He tasted every inch of her body that night, exploring the imperfections and worshiping her in a way she'd never expected. Sometime before midnight, she woke him to send him home, and he'd kissed her and made promises of tomorrow that she could barely wait for him to fulfill. Despite being alone the rest of that night, she was happy and falling asleep to dream of tomorrow.

Carol could barely concentrate at work the next day. There was a parade of patients in and out all day, and she could barely keep their names straight. She was good with patients, always knew them on a first name basis if they weren't first timers. But today, she was scatterbrained, and all she could think about was Daryl and his tongue and his hands and, well, the rest of him too.

As she sat at her desk, she felt pretty warm, her face turning red as she tried to concentrate on updating the schedule with cancellations and new appointments. Between patients, Glenn walked by, sliding his stethoscope over his shoulder.

"Carol? You ok?" he asked, noticing how red her face was. She said nothing, as she concentrated on fixing the schedule. "Carol?" He placed a hand on her shoulder. She jumped.

"Oh! Dr. Rhee," she murmured.

"Glenn," he said with a roll of his eyes. "My _parents_ call me Dr. Rhee." Carol made a face at him. "I know. It's like they're showing their pride or something. It's annoying as hell. Besides, we're friends. It's creepy when you call me that." Carol eyed the young man. It still amused her that her boss was essentially at least ten years younger than her, and she knew on his down time he played video games and ate junk food and pretty much acted like most young men his age who weren't doctors, but seeing him in that white coat gave him that sophisticated, mature look. "What's up, Carol?"

"Uh, just thinking," she said quietly. "Sorry."

"You need a break?" he asked. "You don't look so good. You getting sick?"

"No," she murmured. "I'm fine. Just…."

"It's five o'clock," he pointed out, tapping the clock on the wall. "Don't you get off at four-thirty?"

"Oh, shit," she mumbled. "I'm sorry, Glenn."

"It's alright. You sure you're ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just have a lot on my mind." Carol smiled weakly at him. "Hey, before I go, I'm having a little dinner party at my new place. Would you and Maggie like to come?"

"Hey, that sounds great. When?"

"Tomorrow night? Around seven?"

"Sure. I see my last patient at six, and then I'll swing by the house and get Maggie. Who else is coming?" Carol smirked, knowing exactly what Glenn was getting at.

"Yes, you'll finally get to meet him."

"Ah, the elusive Mr. Dixon," Glenn said, rubbing his hands together mysteriously. "He never comes in when he comes to pick you up."

"Yeah, that's because he doesn't want Maggie ogling him like man candy," Carol teased. Glenn rolled his eyes.

"Please," he muttered.

"You know I'm teasing," she laughed. "You'll meet him tomorrow night, alright? Michonne's gonna be there too."

"Oh, that'll be interesting."

"Why?"

"Because she's gonna dissect him like a fetal pig." Carol's stomach turned at the image.

"She's already met him," Carol pointed out.

"Mmmmhmm," he said with a Cheshire grin, "but you know Michonne. Put her in a room with a glass of wine and her best friend's boyfriend, and she's gonna give him the third degree. You know her, Carol."

"You're right," Carol said with a shrug. "I'll talk to her, tell her to go easy on him. He's a good guy, Glenn. You'll like him, I swear."

"As long as he isn't anything like Ed, I'm sure I'll love him," Glenn pointed out. "I'm happy for you, Carol. I don't know if I've told you that. Ever since you left Ed, you've seemed….I don't know, different. Good different." Carol smiled a little.

"I feel good different," she said with a little nod. "Thanks, Glenn." She saved her work on the schedule, powered down her computer, grabbed her things and headed to Daryl's, taking him up on his invite for dinner. She couldn't wait to see him again.

Little did she know, a small car followed her from behind, like it had the past few nights on her way home from work.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"So you're _the _Mr. Dixon," Maggie said with a laugh as she shook his hand. "Small world!"

"What's going on?" Carol asked, eyeing her friend.

"Once upon a time, I was Maggie Greene," Maggie pointed out. "My daddy's Hershel the veterinarian, and my little sister's Beth."

"Oh my God," Carol laughed. "That's too funny."

"Beth just goes on and on and _on_ about you, Daryl," Maggie said with a grin, winking at him. "I think she has a crush on you." Carol nudged Daryl's arm playfully.

"I knew it," Carol laughed.

"Stop," he muttered. "She babysits for me, that's all."

"Well, I caught a glimpse of ya when I dropped her off at your place earlier, so imagine my surprise when I show up here and Carol's new man is my sister's boss." She laughed again, and this time it was her flirty laugh, and Glenn tracked that from across the room where he was talking to Michonne.

"Alright, Mags, let's go say hi to Michonne," he urged. Maggie smiled, her face reddening, and she waved awkwardly to Daryl, who shifted nervously in his place. Carol snorted and pulled her arm around his waist.

"Guess it runs in the family." She caught his gaze and sobered. "Maggie's sweet. I knew Glenn before I knew her. I guess I never really took the time to get to know her that well. I had no idea Beth was her little sister."

"Alright, we gonna eat or what?" Michonne asked, sipping her first glass of wine.

"I better warn you," Carol said with a laugh, pressing her lips to his cheek. "Michonne's a very, very talkative drunk. She's going to ask you some questions. And she's not going to hold back one little bit."

"Jesus," he muttered, eyeing Carol's friend who was laughing at something Maggie said. "She ain't gonna ask me nothin' 'bout sex or nothin' is she?" Carol hesitated before giving him a little swat on the behind.

"Don't be surprised by _anything _that comes out of her mouth tonight. You have been warned." The color drained from Daryl's face, and Carol grabbed his hand, leading him over to the rest of the group. He knew it was going to be a long, long night.

Everybody sat down for a nice pasta dinner, and by the time Michonne was on her third glass of wine, she was definitely feeling the effects. She was never a closed off, reserved person, but with a couple of glasses of wine in her, she was relaxed, very chatty and inquisitive. Daryl noticed with amusement how she seemed more like an unfiltered teenager who didn't give a shit what she said or when she said it.

"Have another glass of wine there, Glenn," Daryl chuckled, when Glenn's face turned positively red after his first glass of wine. Glenn snorted and took a bite of pasta as Daryl poured him another glass.

"You were right, Carol," Glenn slurred, "I _do_ like him." Maggie covered her face in embarrassment. "Wha's wrong?"

"Sweetie, you know you don't drink. Ever."

"I can have some wine with my friends," he pouted. "I'm a…a freakin' doctor, Maggie. I'm a grown up." Carol stifled a laugh at the sight of Glenn drunk after a glass of wine. Michonne laughed.

"You lightweight."

"Look who's talking," he muttered. "You're two glasses ahead of me, and you're drunk."

"I'm not drunk," Michonne insisted. "I'm just…just…" She leaned back in her chair a little, and the chair nearly felt back. Daryl caught her just in time, and she laughed.

"Drunk," Daryl pointed out. He turned to Carol. "Your friends _are_ lightweights." Carol shrugged.

"I know. I'm suddenly realizing that." She took a sip of her wine and reached under the table to brush her hand over Daryl's knee. He perked up a little, and she flashed him a look that promised good things to come when everybody else got the hell out.

"So, Daryl," Michonne started.

"Shit," he muttered under his breath. Carol squeezed his thigh. His face reddened.

"What did you think the first time you saw my girl Carol, here?" Michonne leaned over and gave Carol a sloppy, drunk hug. Carol rolled her eyes.

"Mich," Carol started, "leave him alone."

"Aw, c'mon. I just want my Carol to be happy." She giggled and swayed in her seat.

"Yep," Carol said with a nod. "She's gone." Glenn snorted over his glass of wine and Maggie rolled her eyes.

"They're_ both_ gone," Maggie laughed. She nudged her husband's shoulder, and he laughed again, putting his head down on the table. Carol and Daryl looked at one another.

"Just humor her," Carol whispered to him. Daryl shrugged his shoulder.

"First time I saw Carol," he murmured, his stomach tightening, his heart rattling against his ribs as he fought back against every bit of social awkwardness he had carried since childhood, "I thought, _damn_, that's a fine lookin' piece of ass." Carol snorted into her hand as Daryl glared daggers at Michonne, who burst out laughing again. "None of your damned business, that's what I thought."

"I like you," Michonne giggled. "I like him, Carol. He's a keeper. Good sense of humor. Hot. And an ass that won't quit. He's the whole package, and I bet it's a big one, if ya know what I mean."

"Michonne!" Carol squealed, her face turning redder by the second.

"Jesus Christ, what the fuck?" Daryl asked, running his fingers through his hair. "You're cut off, Daniels." He swiped Michonne's wine glass, and she pouted as he handed it to Glenn.

"Go on, Rhee. You could use another."

"Stop tryin' to get him drunk," Maggie protested.

"Trying? He's already six sheets to the wind," Daryl pointed out. Glenn lost it at that point, tears in his eyes as he laughed. Suddenly, he sobered, his face turning from green to red like some fucked up psychedelic Christmas tree, and he stood.

"Bathroom?" he asked. Carol pointed down the hall, and he bolted, one hand over his mouth, one over his stomach.

The sounds of Daryl gagging in the bathroom soon filled the apartment, and Maggie groaned.

"I better go after him," she murmured, standing up and rushing to the bathroom. She knocked on the door. "Glenn? Sweetie?" He answered her with a garbled groan, and Michonne laughed again.

"This man gives me my flu shots," Michonne giggled. "And he's in there with his head in the toilet. Can't hold his liquor for shit."

"Sweetie," Carol said softly, rubbing the back of Michonne's hand, "I'm sorry to break it to you, but neither can you." Michonne laughed again and rolled her eyes. "Alright, enough with the wine. I'm putting on the coffee." She stood, and Daryl stood to join her.

"I'll help," he offered. She smiled, her fingers lacing with his.

"Pssh, get a room," Michonne mumbled into her wine glass, before Carol yanked it out from her fingers.

"I'm cutting you off, Mich," Carol scolded with amusement. Michonne made a face but let Carol take the glass away from her. Daryl helped Carol carry the glasses and dirty dishes into the kitchen, and as soon as everything clattered in the sink, he pushed against her backside, his hands running up her arms. She moaned softly when she felt his lips on her neck.

"Daryl," she murmured, her arm snaking back to wrap around his neck as he nuzzled his nose against her. His hand moved up her ribs to brush against her breast, his hand moving upward and then down the neck of her shirt, his fingers playing at the edge of her bra, his thumb tucking in to roll against her nipple. She sucked in a breath and turned in his arms. He grabbed her hips, and he lifted her to sit on the counter before capturing her lips with his own. He grunted when her hand moved down his chest. She forced herself to maintain control of herself, because if they hadn't had a houseful of people, she'd be unzipping his pants and letting him take her right then and there.

He stood between her legs, pulling her closer. She gasped softly when his lips moved to her neck. The sound of laughter coming from the living room broke the moment, and Daryl moved away while Carol got off the counter and leaned against it casually instead. When Michonne came walking in, she eyed the two of them.

"I totally just interrupted something, didn't I?"

"No," Daryl grumbled. Carol turned to start making the coffee smirking when she saw the way Daryl scowled at Michonne.

"Sorry, Daryl," Michonne said with an amused grin. "You can play with her later. Carol, we need more wine."

"No," Carol laughed. "You're all getting coffee. The wine was a bad idea."

"No!" Michonne groaned. "Buzzkill. Alright, but _you're _breaking the news to Glenn. He was looking forward to calling in sick to work tomorrow for puking. He thought it would be funny, you know, 'cause he's a doctor. Nerd." She laughed, stumbling back against the refrigerator. Carol and Daryl shared a glance before Carol hooked her arm with Michonne's.

"C'mon, Mich. Let's go ask Glenn how he likes his coffee."

Carol's alarm on her phone went off way too early, and she felt a pair of arms wrapped snugly around her middle. She smiled, hit the snooze button on her phone, and stretched back, feeling his bare chest against her bare back, and she felt the rough stubble on his chin brush her shoulder.

"Mornin," he murmured, kissing her collarbone and stroking her stomach. She blinked and yawned, and leaned into him, enjoying the sensation of his lips and tongue on her skin. She looked around, realizing she was in Daryl's bedroom, and she remembered after they'd gotten Michonne, Maggie and Glenn sobered as much as they could with coffee, they'd helped them to their homes and decided to crash at Daryl's.

Carol vaguely remembered Daryl paying Beth for her babysitting services, and she remembered them looking in on Gracie, and she remembered them retiring to Daryl's room where her clothes were off in less than a minute, and he was tackling her to the bed. The slight ache between her legs and the tenderness of her hips this morning told her they'd made the most of their night. She smiled, biting her lip, and she turned in the bed to come nose to nose with Daryl.

"Why is it," she asked sleepily, "that ever since I moved into my place, I've rarely spent one whole night there?"

"'Cause you wanna be with me, that's why," he teased, kissing her softly. She giggled against his lips, and her hands brushed over his chest, feeling the way his muscles jumped at her ticklish gesture.

"You don't know me," she teased, kissing his neck.

"Yeah," he grunted, "keep tellin' yourself that." She smiled against his skin as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in closer, their legs tangling together as they took in the warmth of one another under the cool bed sheets.

"Thank you," Carol murmured, "for putting up with my friends last night. I know that was a lot to deal with."

"I liked 'em," he said after a moment's consideration. "Probably would like 'em a lot better sober." Carol snorted against his shoulder, placing a soft kiss there.

"They liked you. Trust me, if my friends didn't like you, they wouldn't have gotten nearly as drunk in front of you."

"How'd you wind up with them anyway?"

"Well, Michonne and I go way back. We've known each other for a long time, you know? It just sort of happened. We just sort of bumped into each other, I don't even remember where. Some guy was giving her a hard time. She's younger than me, and I felt bad for her, but little did I know, she could handle herself. We run them off, and we had a laugh about it. We've been good friends ever since. She's seen me through a lot." Carol smiled at the memories that seemed to be flashing through her as she spoke.

"I started working for Glenn a few years back. I don't know Maggie as well as I know Glenn, but we spend more time together. He's a good kid." She laughed a little. "I don't know why I call him a kid. He's a doctor, but he just looks like a kid, you know? But the four of us, Glenn, Maggie Michonne and me, we've all had some good times. They're a little protective of me, you know? None of them could stand to be around Ed, but you? They like you."

"Good to know," Daryl said with a little grin as his hand slipped down her back to cup her ass and give it a little squeeze.

"Wish we could stay in bed all day," Carol murmured burying her face against his chest. "Stupid work."

"There such a thing as callin' in hungover?"

"No," she laughed. "But that's a great idea." She rolled onto her back, stretching out, putting her breasts on full display for him. In no time, his mouth was on her, and she was writhing on the bed under him. Just as things were starting to get heated, her phone went off again, warning her to get the hell up and get ready for work. She groaned, and sat up in the bed. He pulled her back down, and she laughed. He caught the beautiful sound in his mouth, kissing her deeply. "Daryl….please…we can't." She didn't sound convincing. Even her weak attempts to push him away were un-affective. He kissed her again, and she laughed.

"You're terrible," she giggled, feeling like she was twenty again, feeling like she could stay in bed all day, never getting enough of him. Finally, she managed to wriggle out from under him, and she pulled herself out of bed, narrowly escaping his hands as he attempted to pull her back. "I have to shower. You can join me, though." Daryl liked that idea. He pulled a sheet around his middle.

"Go get started. I'm gonna check on Gracie. I'll meet you in the shower in two minutes." He kissed her quickly before dashing down the hall, nearly tripping over the sheet that trailed his feet along the ground.

Carol smirked and hurried to the bathroom to get a head start on the hot water, anxiously awaiting Daryl joining her for a little morning delight.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Poor Glenn hadn't been himself all day, and Carol knew why. Thankfully, she had a cup of very strong coffee waiting for him every few hours, for which he was very thankful. By the time the work day was over, Glenn was feeling better and already urging Carol to plan the next get together. She knew he was itching to have some sort of bromance with Daryl.

As Carol slid into her car that afternoon, she picked up her phone with a grin on her face.

_I think I have some competition_, Carol texted.

_What? Who?_

_Glenn. He won't stop talking about you. It's adorable! I think he has a man crush._

_Stop._

_Aw, Pookie, don't worry, I don't get jealous…too easily._

_U coming over?_

_I have to go home for a change of clothes._

_U won't need clothes._

_Flirt. I'll be a half hour. Hour tops._

_Hurry up. Cherokee misses u. Gracie too._

_Oh, sure, use the baby and the dog to lure me over. Uh-huh. Evil!_

_You know it. See u soon?_

_Yep. Love you._

_Love you more. _

Carol put her phone away and started for home. She turned the radio on and listened to some soft rock as she started for home. Her home. She loved that she had some place to call her own, though it felt empty without him there. Still, she needed her own space right now, and she still saw Daryl often, and that made her happy. She preferred not sleeping alone, though sometimes it was nice to stretch out in bed and enjoy the silence, even though her mind always managed to wander to Daryl and wonder what he was doing and wish he was with her.

As she turned to pull onto her street, she considered what it might be like to move in with him one day. The idea of moving in with a man who had a dog and a baby and a whole life he was already wrapped up in was a little worrisome, simply because she wasn't sure where she'd fit. She knew Daryl loved her, and she knew she loved him, but she'd already done the wife and mom thing, and everything had ended so terribly. The last thing she'd want was for things to not work out between her and Daryl down the road and have Gracie caught in the middle. Another fear made her hands shake. What if she got so attached to Gracie, and things didn't work out with Daryl? She already adored that child, and the thought of having another child ripped out of her life was almost too much to bear.

She sighed and turned the radio off, trying to push the negative thoughts from her mind. She was happy with Daryl, and wherever this relationship was headed, she knew it was in the right direction, a good direction.

She pulled up outside of her building and locked up her car. As she made her way up to her door, she looked down at her phone, seeing a photo Daryl had just texted her of him, Gracie and Cherokee relaxing on the couch, patiently waiting for her to come over. Her heart filled with joy in that moment, and she smiled, feeling her eyes sting with tears. She took a deep breath and put her phone away, unlocked her apartment and stepped inside.

She was immediately met with a rush of heat, and she gasped. It felt like an oven in there. She flipped on the light switch and rushed over to the thermostat, seeing that it was cranked all the way up.

"What the hell," she murmured, turning it all the way off. Before she could even think about what could have possibly happened, she heard the shuffling of feet behind her. She gasped, her purse dropping out of her hand as she turned, her back flat against the wall.

"Hot enough for ya, darlin'?" Ed asked, stepping toward her, whiskey on his breath, his face red the way it always was when he drank too much.

"Jesus Christ, Ed!" She inched up against the wall, her stomach jumping, her heart hammering so hard she thought she might faint. "What…how…"

"Didn't think I'd let my wife go without a fight, did ya?"

"Ed, no!" He lunged at her, and she ducked out of his way, thankful he was drunk, because his reflexes weren't particularly sharp. Never in their entire marriage had he behaved this way. The look in his eyes was something she'd never seen before. It was as if something had snapped in him, pushed him over the edge, and she was terrified now.

She moved toward the front door, and Ed stalked toward her. He seemed larger than ever now and she seemed to shrink as he grew closer. She looked up at him, fear and anger in her eyes.

"You followed me?"

"Been followin' you for days, darlin'?" Carol swallowed the lump in her throat, and she eyed him, fearing the worst. "You seem awful comfortable at your new boyfriend Daryl's house. Looks like you got all you ever wanted, didn't ya, Carol? A handsome boyfriend, a house with white picket fence, a dog—what's his name? Cherokee?—and that pretty little baby girl. You got it all, don't ya honey?"

"You leave them alone, Ed Peletier," Carol warned, backing up against the front door, her hand shaking on the knob.

"He don't deserve you, darlin'," Ed slurred. "I'm your husband. I'm the one who made a baby with you. I'm the one that…that raised that girl with you. That _buried_ that girl with you."

"You took her away from me," Carol grimaced, her teeth clenching when she saw the surprise on his face. "You cleaned out her room, and you took away everything I had left."

"I did it for your own good, honey. You can come home now, and we can start over."

"I don't want you, Ed," Carol choked out. "I don't love you anymore. I don't want you in my life. I want you out. I want you to leave. Now!" Ed moved toward her again, and she ducked out of his way again, grabbing her purse up off the floor and fumbling for her cell phone. "I'll call the police, Ed," she warned. "It's your choice. You leave right now and never come back, or I'll call the police and have them throw your ass in jail. You're drunk. You're not yourself." She started dialing for the police, and Ed held his hands up.

"Alright, alright," he slurred. "I ain't gonna make no scene."

"You _ever_ follow me to Daryl's, or I ever hear of you coming near Daryl's house, I won't wait for the cops."

"Honey, you belong with me. You need to come home."

"Get out, Ed. Get the hell out. Just leave me alone, get out of my life, and let me be free."

"I ain't never hit a woman in my life," Ed grumbled, "but you're the most infuriating woman I ever met, and I oughta teach you a lesson!" He lumbered toward her, and she panicked, running toward the kitchen. He followed after her, and she grabbed the closest thing she could find, a frying pan. She swung at him, smacking him hard in the hand as he reached out for her, and he screamed out in pain as the pan clattered to the floor. "You fuckin' bitch! I'll kill you!"

Before Carol could even try to run, she saw an arm come around Ed's neck, putting him in a choke hold. He let out a strangled yelp as Daryl brought him to his knees.

"The lady asked you to leave, asshole," he barked through clenched teeth. "You ever try and lay a hand on her again, I'll fuckin' kill you. Put a bullet through your head 'fore you can even beg for your miserable life." He tightened his hold around Ed's neck, and Ed, whose face was turning a strange shade of purple, waved his arms frantically. "Call the cops 'fore I break his fuckin' neck." Carol already had the phone to her ear, and she quickly gave out her address and begged for the cops to come quickly.

Daryl felt Ed go limp, and he let him go. Ed's knees buckled, and he passed out on the floor, the color slowly returning to normal in his face. Daryl reached out for Carol, and she went willingly to his arms, breaking down against his chest as he held her.

"It's alright now. It's over. You're safe. I got you."

"Wanted to surprise ya," Daryl said quietly as he and Carol sat on the stoop of Carol's apartment door watching as two police officers wrestled with an uncooperative Ed to get him in the back of the cruiser. "Beth ain't got school tomorrow, and she offered to watch Gracie so I could come see ya. We always sleep at my place, and I thought we might change it up a bit."

"Thank God you came," Carol whispered, leaning her head against his shoulder as he pulled his arm around her. "If you hadn't…"

"Don't think 'bout that," he murmured, nuzzling her cheek and pressing a soft kiss there. "It's over now."

"I don't think it is," she whispered. "Daryl, he knows where you live. He knows your name, your daughter's name. Hell, he knows your _dog's_ name."

"I ain't gonna let that son of a bitch near Gracie. And I'll be damned if he ever comes near you again. I'll kill him, Carol."

"Stop. Don't say that," Carol choked out, trembling. "Don't. He's not worth it, and I don't want to lose you. I can't lose you." She ran her fingers through her short hair and shook her head. "I can't believe that was the same man I used to love. I used to…to be so happy with him, Daryl. That man? I didn't even recognize him tonight. He was so…I really think he wanted to kill me." Daryl's hold on her tightened.

"I swear to God, Carol, I'd never hurt you. I'd never…"

"Shh," she whispered, quieting him with a kiss. When she pulled back, she leaned her forehead against his. "I know you'd never. That's why I love you so much. I trust you, Daryl, with my whole heart." Her voice cracked, and a clearing throat startled them both.

"I'm Officer Grimes," the man said quietly. "I take it you're Mrs. Peletier?"

"Not for long," Carol said quietly, glancing toward the police cruiser, where Ed was hollering up a storm.

"We're taking Mr. Peletier down to the station. You're within your rights to get yourself a restraining order against him."

"A piece of paper won't stop my husband from coming after me again if he's got his mind set on it, Officer Grimes. I'm sure you know that."

"But if he does come near you again, that piece of paper insures he'll be hauled off to jail," Grimes offered.

"Officer, if tonight's any indication of my husband's state of mind, next time he comes after me, I might not be able to call you, 'cause I might be dead." Carol stood up and disappeared into her apartment, and Daryl sighed heavily.

"She gonna be ok?" the officer asked. Daryl glared daggers toward the police cruiser where Ed was fuming and still stinking drunk.

"I'll make sure she is," Daryl promised. "Just take that son of a bitch out of here. You best believe he comes near her or I see him 'round my house, I'll be callin' the cops so fast his head'll spin. He tries to put a hand on her? I'll put him in the hospital. You can write that down official, if ya like." Daryl stood. "Have a good night, Officer Grimes." Daryl turned and followed Carol back into her apartment. Once inside, he found her stretched out on the couch, hands over her face. He knelt down next to the couch, gently prying one hand off of her face, linking his fingers with hers. He peered at him and removed her other hand from her face, tears sparkling in her eyes, threatening to fall.

"I don't know him, Daryl," Carol whispered. "He's not the Ed I married."

"You're comin' home with me tonight," he said matter-of-factly. "I want my family together tonight." He kissed her forehead, and she choked back a sob, wrapping one arm around his neck. He pressed soft kisses to her face before closing in on her lips. When he pulled back, her tears had fallen, and she sat up a little, wiping her face.

"You just called me your family," she noted, a smile playing over her lips.

"It's the truth. You. Gracie. You're my life, you know that?" Carol wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her forehead against his, and she felt him gently squeeze her arms before putting his arms around her waist, scooting up between her legs as he knelt on the floor. "Come home with me tonight. You don't need to be here. Not tonight." She pulled back a little, realizing as she gazed into his eyes that he wasn't just worried for her. He was scared. His hands shook against her sides, and she cupped his face in her hands, kissing him softly.

"Okay," she said with a little nod. "Let's go."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Carol woke in the morning feeling his arms wrapped around her waist, his body pressed up against hers, his face buried against the back of her neck. She felt protected in that moment, wrapped up in him, wrapped up in his bed sheets, warm and safe.

Cherokee sneezed at the foot of the bed, and Carol glanced down to see him rest his head back down against her ankles. She smiled a little, closing her eyes and turning to face Daryl, snuggling up against him. He stirred as she moved against him, his arms closing tighter around her, pulling her close. She rested her head against his shoulder, burying her face against his neck.

She checked the clock and realized she still had a good hour before she had to even get out of bed and get ready for work. She sighed softly and pressing her lips against his neck, feeling his pulse steady against her mouth.

He stirred as she pressed feather-light kisses over his neck and his jaw, and finally, he sleepily opened his eyes. She smiled when his hand moved down her back, caressing her, warming her.

"Morning," she purred, her hands running through his hair.

"Mornin'," he whispered hoarsely. "You sleep ok?"

"I slept alright," she said softly. "I'm glad you were here." She groaned and stretched a little. "I don't wanna get out of this bed."

"Then don't," he murmured, kissing her softly.

"I have to work. And so do you," she laughed.

"Nope," he murmured, his lips lingering over hers. "We can stay here all day."

"Yeah, well, I'd like to know that I've got a job waiting for me on Monday," Carol laughed. Daryl chuckled against her mouth and pulled her in closer. Baby Grace began to cry from the nursery, and Daryl sighed against Carol's mouth. Carol gently pushed back on his shoulders. "I'll get her. You wait here."

"You sure?" he asked.

"Sure I'm sure. Be right back." She got out of bed, adjusting clothes that had twisted around her in the night, and she hurried down the hall to get Gracie. The baby was red-faced with tears in her eyes when Carol got to her.

"Aw, Miss Grace, what's the matter?" She scooped the baby up and held her close. "Somebody needs a change, hmm?" She flicked on the nursery light and went about getting the baby's diaper changed. When she was finished, the baby calmed a little, and Carol rocked her gently in her arms. "Let's go see your daddy, huh?" The baby hiccupped, and Carol kissed her forehead.

Padding down the hall, Carol returned to Daryl's room to find him sitting up in the bed leaning against the headboard. His eyes brightened when he saw Carol coming toward him with Grace in her arms, his heart filling with pride at the sight. His two girls, his world.

"I think somebody's hungry," she murmured, settling down in the bed next to Daryl.

"I'll go make her bottle. You wait here." He kissed Carol softly and then leaned down to kiss Grace's forehead, gently caressing her hair, which was standing up in every which way. He chuckled to himself, thinking she looked like an extremely cute troll doll, only she didn't have the funny face or the jewel belly button.

Carol rocked the baby back and forth, caressing her tiny little fingers, cooing down at her as the baby went back and forth between fussing and yawning.

"You are so beautiful, Gracie Dixon," she whispered. "You're so lucky to have a daddy like Daryl, you know that? He loves you so much. I see him look at you, and I see the proudest daddy in the world." She smiled when Grace curled her hand around Carol's thumb. "I had a little girl once, you know? Her name was Sophia. Oh, you would have liked her. She had the sweetest laugh and a heart of gold. She always called me "mama" and carried around a stuffed bunny rabbit. I was so proud of her, and I know your daddy's proud of you." Gracie had, by this time, stopped fussing, and her eyes were wide open, staring up at Carol with interest. It was then that a little smile curled up on Grace's lips, and a little squeal came out of her mouth.

"What was that?" Daryl asked, standing in the doorway. "Did she laugh? Was that a laugh?" He hurried over to the bed, bottle in hand.

"I think it was," Carol said with a grin.

"Think that's the first laugh I've heard outta her," he admitted. "A real laugh." He climbed into the bed next to Carol, wrapping one arm around her, resting his chin on her shoulder and peering down at his little girl. "You're good with her."

Carol looked up at Daryl, a smile brightening her face. "I really could stay here all day. I forgot how amazing it feels to hold a baby like this." She cradled her softly, taking the bottle from Daryl putting it to the baby's lips. She suckled hungrily, and Daryl stroked the little one's hair.

"You got a way with her, Carol. I'm tellin' ya. She loves ya." Carol felt the tears come to her eyes, and she thought of Sophia and the way she used to fall asleep with the bottle in her mouth, her head resting heavily against her mama's chest. She thought about the way Sophia used to come running to her in the middle of the night after a bad dream, eyes wet with tears, her tiny body trembling in fright. She remembered the way Sophia used to help her make cookies in the kitchen on the days she felt good enough to play and be a normal little girl. The rush of it all coming back to her hit her like a heavy weight, and she gasped a little, realizing she was about to cry.

"Daryl, take the baby," she murmured.

"You got her, she's alright."

"I'm serious, Daryl. Take her. Please." He heard the tremble in her voice and he quickly moved to take Gracie, being careful not to interrupt the little one's breakfast. He eyed Carol as she scrambled out of the bed.

"You ok?"

"I'm…I'll be…I have to…" And then she rushed out of the room, hand over her mouth, and he could hear her choke out a sob as she closed the bathroom door behind her. He sat there, a little dumbfounded, but as he looked down at Grace, he realized she must have been thinking of her little girl, and he felt a tug at his heart.

He got up off the bed, cradling the baby and continuing to feed her, and he moved down the hall to the bathroom door. He could hear her stifling her sobs into her hand on the other side of the door. He knocked gently with his knuckles.

"Carol?"

"I'll be out in a minute," she sniffled. Daryl sighed softly and leaned against the wall across from the door, waiting for her to come out. When the door opened, she appeared red-faced, her eyes glassy from tears, lids red from rubbing them.

"Hey," he murmured. "I'm sorry if…"

"You didn't do anything, Daryl," she whispered, lower lip trembling. "I just got to thinking about Soph, and I just…it just hit me so fast." She sniffled and wiped her nose. "I'm sorry. I'm a mess right now. I just...I should go." She turned to go get her things, but he followed her.

"You don't gotta go nowhere."

"Daryl, you…you don't understand."

"I don't understand? You lost a daughter, Carol. I get that. It can't be easy seein' Grace and holdin' her. Maybe I shouldn't have…maybe I'm bein' selfish wantin' you here all the time. Maybe it's too much for you."

"It's not," she said gently, turning and putting her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Daryl." He pulled his arm around her, and she sighed against his neck, breathing in the scent of him. "I miss my girl, Daryl. I miss her so much." She wiped her tears away.

"Talk to me," he said softly, taking her hand and leading her into the living room.

"I was holding her—Gracie—and I started thinking about Soph. And I didn't even realize what day it was." The tears rolled down her cheeks again. "I feel like a terrible mother, Daryl."

"Why?" he said gently.

"Today's her birthday. She'd have been eight today," Carol said softly. Daryl's heart swelled, and he reached over to brush the tears from her eyes. "Every year, I take flowers to her grave, and I just sit there and think about her. And I realized that…that I completely forgot."

"You didn't forget. It's still her birthday," he said gently. "You should go." Carol nodded her head and wiped her nose again.

"I will. After work, I'll go. But, um, Daryl?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you go with me?" she asked, her lip trembling again. Daryl's heart swelled again, and he leaned in to kiss her softly.

"'Course I will, if you want me to."

"I do. I don't want to go alone. It's too hard."

"I'll go with you. Just say the word, and I'm there, a'right?"

"Thank you," Carol sniffled. "Thank you, Daryl." He kissed her again and pulled his arm around her, walking with her and Grace back to the bedroom where they could all snuggle up together for the next half hour.

Daryl met her after work and followed her in his pickup. The drive to the cemetery was about a half hour. Sophia had been put to rest in a small country cemetery. As they walked through the beautiful, green, neatly mown grass, Daryl realized they were heading to a small tombstone under a pine tree.

"She loved trees," Carol said softly as they came to a stop next to a tombstone that read Sophia Ann Peletier 2007-2011. "She always wanted to climb one, but I told her she was too little. She wanted to see where the birds lived. She wanted to learn how to fly."

"Sounds like a real special little girl," Daryl said softly, taking her hand in his and linking her fingers in his. He gently caressed her knuckles."

"Did I ever show you a picture of her?" Carol asked. Daryl watched as she dug into her purse, pulling out a photo of Sophia taken before her hair fell out. She passed it to him. "That's my Sophia."

"She was beautiful. Just like her mama." Carol let herself lean on him, let him pull his arm around her and hold her close. "Take all the time you need. I'm here." He kissed the side of her head, and she closed her eyes, letting herself breathe, letting herself remember.

She gently pulled away from him and moved to sit next to Sophia's tombstone, placing a single daisy against the cold slab of stone.

"Hi sweet girl," Carol murmured, as Daryl stood behind her. "Happy birthday."

Daryl and Carol pulled up to the Greene farm house. Daryl had left baby Grace there with Beth instead of having her come over to his home. Given everything that had happened with Ed the night before, he hadn't wanted to take a chance of Ed returning while it was just Beth and the baby alone.

A kind-looking older man sat on the porch with baby Grace in his arms.

"That's Hershel, the vet. Beth and Maggie's dad," he pointed out as he and Carol started up the path to the porch.

"Afternoon, Hershel," Daryl said with a nod as they stepped up on the porch.

"Afternoon, Daryl. Beth got to feelin' poorly, so I've been looking after Grace." He smiled down at the baby.

"You shoulda called, Hershel. I coulda come and got her."

"Nonsense," Hershel said, waving him off. "Glenn and Maggie tell me they're planning on making me a grandpa one day soon, so I suppose I better start getting some practice in."

"This is Carol," Daryl said, leaning against the porch rail.

"Nice to meet you," Carol said with a warm smile, extending her hand out to the older gentleman. He shook her hand and bounced Gracie slightly in his arm.

"So you're the Carol Maggie's told me about?"

" Yeah. Small world, huh?" she said softly, smiling down at little Grace. Hershel held the baby out to her, and she took her happily, snuggling her close and gently rubbing her back.

"Really appreciate you takin' care of Grace, Hershel."

"She wasn't a bother, " Hershel said, standing. "If you two don't have plans, why don't you join us for supper? Maggie and Glenn should be over shortly."

"You sure you have enough?" Daryl asked. "We don't wanna impose."

"What's the imposition? I invited you, didn't I?" the older man asked. Carol smiled at Daryl and shrugged a little.

"We'd love to," Carol said with a smile. "Thank you, Hershel." Hershel headed inside, calling for them to join him. Daryl held the screen door open for her, and she gave him a peck on the cheek before following Hershel inside, baby Grace snug in her arms.

After dinner, Hershel went up to check on Beth and see if she needed anything for her upset stomach, while Maggie cooed over baby Grace, holding her close.

"She's so beautiful," she murmured, in awe. "I swear to God, if we don't have one of these by the end of the year, I'm gonna just die." She nuzzled the baby's cheek, inhaling the intoxicating baby scent. "She's just too perfect. Can I keep her?" Everybody laughed, and Glenn patted Maggie's arm.

"We'll have our baby, Mags. Don't worry," he assured her. "I'm a doctor. I know these things." He sounded super serious, which made Daryl snort.

"You better get to work then, doc. Just…not here," he smirked. "Here, gimme my kid." Maggie reluctantly held the baby out to him, giving a little pout as Daryl took her in his arms. "Yeah, she is kinda perfect, ain't she?" At that point, Daryl looked to Carol, who'd fallen silent, a pensive look in her eyes.

"You alright?" he asked, getting her attention. She smiled sadly, nodding her head and looking at him with his daughter.

"Yeah," she said softly. She thought about how drastically her life had changed since meeting him. She'd met an amazing man who genuinely loved her. She'd found something in him that she hadn't even known she'd been looking for. And he had a baby, and that baby and Daryl were more family to her than her husband had been in their entire marriage. She would never forget her daughter, but as she sat here with good friends and Daryl and this baby, she felt something lift off of her shoulders. She felt happy. She felt like somehow, it was ok and that moving on and healing from her past was the right thing, the only thing. "Getting better every second."

"Alright, everybody," Hershel spoke up, coming down the stairs. "Who wants dessert?"


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Carol let out a sigh of relief as she pulled up to Daryl's house after work. She was officially on vacation, and so was he, and whatever it was that he had planned, he wasn't telling her. She was nervous and excited at the same time. Things had been great for the past couple of weeks. There had been no word from or sighting of Ed, and as far as Carol was concerned, she'd be happy if she never saw him again. Still, she couldn't help but wonder when the other shoe would drop and he'd come storming back into her life.

She'd yet to hear anything about the progress of her divorce, and she kept repeating over and over in her head that it would all be over some day and she'd never have to think about him again.

When the front door opened, Daryl waved at her, and she smiled, waving back and pulling herself out of her car.

"Alright, spill," she ordered as she walked up the path to the porch. "You've been planning something for a week now."

"It ain't time for you to know yet," he replied. "You're just gonna have to trust me."

"Oh, I trust you," she assured him. "But tell me!"

"Nice try," he said with a smirk, greeting her with a kiss when she walked through the door. "Welcome home." She loved hearing that, even though she wasn't living with him, officially. She still had her own place, and she liked it that way, but she spent more time at his house than at her own apartment.

Grace was sitting in her bouncy seat, kicking her legs happily. As soon as Carol knelt down on the floor next to the bouncer, Grace seemed to shift into warp speed, her little legs and arms pumping in the air eagerly.

"Hello little miss!" she exclaimed, kissing the baby's chubby cheeks. "I swear she's grown since yesterday."

"Wouldn't doubt it. She's up a diaper size since last week." He went to the kitchen and returned with a glass of iced tea for her. She smiled, taking a sip and giving a nod of approval.

"Perfect. Tastes just like the pitcher you made last week. You're getting really good at this." Daryl blushed a little at that. He'd never been complimented on his domestic skills, but Carol was teaching him a few things to save money and just for general enjoyment. There was truly nothing like the perfect glass of iced tea on a muggy day like today, and the taste in that glass was so much more than one could find in a plastic store-bought bottle.

Cherokee came bounding into the room, licking Carol's face as soon as he saw her. She laughed and pat his head.

"You ready for your surprise?"

"Oh, so _now_ it's the time?"

"Yep," he said with a nod, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. "Unless you don't want it."

"I want it!" she laughed, realizing how desperate she probably sounded. "C'mon, Daryl. Please?"

"Alright. Be right back." He disappeared into the back of the house, and Carol turned her attention back to Grace, tickling her feet. Grace squealed excitedly, her little arms reaching out. Daryl came back into the room holding a pair of hiking boots, some khaki colored cargo pants and a camo tank top. She raised her eyebrows.

"So…the surprise is that you're changing my wardrobe?"

"We're goin' camping."

"Camping? With a baby?" she asked, standing up and moving toward him.

"Nope. We got a babysitter."

"For…a day? A night?"

"A week."

"A whole week? Daryl, are you sure?"

"Yep. Already got it set up. Hershel's gonna take care of Cherokee. Glenn and Maggie are gonna take Grace." Carol's eyes widened.

"You're sure?"

"They're good people. You trust Glenn, and I trust you. Maggie really took to Gracie, too."

"Daryl, you…you really want to go away for a whole week?"

"'Course I do. Been wantin' to get away from this damned city for a while now, and I don't wanna go if you ain't goin' too. 'Sides, there's a whole lotta things I'm lookin' forward to doin' with you."

"Out in the woods? With me? In camo?"

"Well, you don't gotta wear the camo while we're doin' it," he said, cheeks blushing. "Camo's optional."

"Oh, I'm liking the sound of this. Tell me more." She wrapped her arms around his neck, and his hands moved to her waist.

"You and me, huntin', campin', out in the middle of nowhere."

"I _really_ like the sound of that." She smiled and looked over toward the bouncy seat. "You're sure you're ok with this though?"

"Glenn's a doctor. She'd be in good hands. 'Sides, I asked Michonne to stop in and check on 'em, too. She's a mom, so she can help with the stuff they ain't sure about, ya know?"

"You really planned this out, huh?" she asked.

"Sure. Just wanted everything to work out. Wanted you to get some time away. Wanted to be with you." She smiled again pressed her lips against his.

"You're amazing, Daryl. I love you so much." He pulled her in close and rested his forehead against hers.

"Love you too." He kissed her again, and Gracie laughed, making them both chuckle and turn their attention back to her as she kicked and babbled in her bouncy seat.

"You sure you packed enough diapers?" Carol asked, helping Daryl load up enough items for Grace for the whole week. "And formula?"

"I got plenty packed," he assured her. "But I'm leavin' money with Glenn in case she runs out." Carol picked up Grace out of the stroller and rocked her back and forth.

"We don't have to go, Daryl," she said, a hint of worry in her voice. "She's so young, and…."

"And Glenn and Maggie will take great care of her. Grace knows I love her. She's a happy baby, Carol. We got nothin' to worry about." Carol kissed the top of the baby's head, holding her close. Daryl slung another pack into the back of the pickup and leaned against it, noting the way Carol doted over Grace. His heart swelled at the sight of Carol with Grace, and he couldn't help but think about how much of a mother she already was to her. The last thing he would do right now would be to suggest that she be Gracie's mom forever, but it was where his heart was. It was what he wanted. "You mind followin' with her in your car? Don't like putting her car seat in the pickup."

"Sure," Carol said with a little smile. "On the way I'll have a little talk with her and promise that her daddy and m—me will be back before she knows it." He caught her near slip up, and he saw the blush in her cheeks. He leaned in to give her a little kiss, and she sighed against his lips. He bent down and kissed Grace's forehead, and the baby cooed. "See, now, aren't you going to miss that?"

"You tryin' to make this harder on me, woman?" he asked, his arm snaking around her waist.

"No," she pouted. "But look at her, Daryl. She's so…"

"She'll be fine," he assured her. "It's a week, and she'll be in good hands. Glenn might not know how to hold his liquor, but he's a doctor, and between him, Maggie and Michonne, I don't think we got a thing to worry about. And don't forget, Beth takes care of Gracie, and there's Hershel. Grace's got plenty of people around her that won't let anything bad happen. I've known Hershel a long time, and I can tell by the way he looks at her, he loves her like his own daughters."

"I know." Carol finally put the baby down in the car seat, while Daryl folded up the stroller and put it in the pickup. "I'll miss her." He couldn't help but smile. "What?"

"Nothin'." She gave him a look before locking the safety belt into place. "A'right, Gracie, you be a good girl and go to sleep in the car for Carol." Grace sucked at her fingers and blinked a few times when her daddy leaned down to kiss her. When he closed the car door, he pulled Carol into his arms and stroked her back.

"You ready?"

"Yeah," she said with a smile, the look in his eyes easing her worries and making her stomach twist into knots for a whole other reason. "I'm ready."

Their first stop was to Hershel's, where they dropped off Cherokee, who looked around excitedly at the expanse of land he had to run and play on. Hershel assured Daryl that Cherokee would sleep inside, because he was a guest, and guests didn't have to sleep in the barn. Cherokee whimpered a little when Daryl and Carol began to pull out of the drive, but Daryl tossed him a treat, and he was happy as a lark.

After lots of goodbyes, Carol and Daryl left Grace in the safekeeping of Glenn and Maggie. The moment Maggie took her into her arms, she had that look on her face, that longing for a baby of her own, and Carol knew that Grace would be safe with her.

They left Carol's car at Glenn and Maggie's house, mostly because Carol didn't want to leave it outside of her place or Daryl's where Ed might come snooping around. By noon, they were on the road, Daryl driving the pickup and Carol scooted over into the middle with Daryl's arm curled around her shoulders.

"Where exactly are we going?" she wondered.

"Nice little spot, just outside Atlanta," he said with a smile. "Little quarry with sky blue water and good fishin'."

"Sounds nice," she said with a smile. She kissed his cheek and snuggled up against him in the cab of the truck, and he rubbed her arm as they drove along toward their destination, a whole week with nothing to do but be with each other waiting for them.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"Oh Daryl," Carol murmured. "It's amazing." They stood on one of the rocky ledges overlooking the bright blue pool of water down below. Walls or rock rose up toward the sky all around the water, leading down to a rocky beach. "How'd you know about this place?"

"Me'n my brother used to go fishin' out here," he said with a half-smile. "Used to spend a lot of time out here by myself, too."

"And you brought me here?"

"This place means somethin' to me. Used to do a lot of thinkin' out here. Always came here when I needed to clear my head, think about things." Carol curled her arm around Daryl's waist and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you for bringing me here." Daryl turned his head and leaned down to kiss her, pulling her against him, holding her close, loving the feeling of being completely alone with her. They finally pulled apart, and Carol took his hand in hers. "Nobody's ever treated me like you do, Daryl. You…amaze me, every day."

"I never felt like this about nobody," he admitted. "The second I saw you, I knew you were somethin' special." He cleared his throat, a look crossing his face that had Carol worried.

"What is it?" she asked, her fingertips trailing down his jaw. "Tell me."

"I don't wanna lose you."

"I'm right here," Carol said softly. "I'm not going anywhere."

"With everything that happened…with Ed…I worry 'bout you."

"I'm fine, Daryl."

"You're fine. Now." He moved to sit down on the rocky ground, and she joined him, sitting Indian style across from him. "That son of a bitch got into your house. He was gonna hurt you."

"I changed my locks, I'm getting a security system installed as soon as we get back."

"You don't need to do that," he pointed out. "Move in with me."

"Daryl," she sighed. "You don't understand. I haven't…I haven't had something that's just…mine…in a very long time. I love being with you. I love sleeping at your place and waking up to have breakfast with you and Gracie. But I also love having my own place. I love having a place to call mine, you know?" Daryl sighed and nodded.

"I get it," he said quietly. "Don't make me feel any better 'bout Ed, though."

"I'm not worried about Ed."

"Yes you are," he murmured. "For a week after he broke in your place, you had nightmares."

"What?" Carol asked, not remembering any of that.

"You didn't sleep right. I'd wake up, and you were shakin'. Thought somethin' was wrong. Then I heard you cryin'."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, stroking his arm.

"'Cause I didn't wanna upset ya. You'd wake up in the mornin', and everything would be fine, and I knew you didn't remember what it was you were dreamin' about. But you were scared, and I just held ya, and I hoped you'd feel me and feel safe."

"Daryl," Carol whispered, "you don't have to…to protect me all the time, you know?"

"I know. But I want to. You and Grace…I'd do anything for you. You're my family." Carol scooted over to sit in his lap, and he wrapped his arms around her.

"And you're mine," she murmured, pressing her lips against his. "I love you, Daryl Dixon. You make me happier than I ever thought I could be." Her hands moved across his broad shoulders, and his fingers dug into her thighs. "But you've gotta know…I can take care of myself. You don't have to…to be on full alert when I'm around. We're here. We're together. We're safe. Let's just enjoy this week, and we can talk about it when we get back."

"Talk about what?"

"Stuff," she said with a smile. "Things."

"Like you movin' in with me?"

"Oh, you're exhausting," she laughed. He gave her a half-grin and pulled her in close.

"Oh, I'm just gettin' started." And he claimed her lips with his own once more.

Carol bit her lip to stifle her laughter as she lay beneath Daryl in their tent. They'd just finished setting it up, and Carol had suggested trying it out. It was mid afternoon, and Daryl had wanted to go hunting, but instead, they'd wound up groping each other in the tent.

His hands were in her hair, and his thigh was nestled between her legs. Her ankles were hooked around his calves, and when he moved against her, the friction was almost too much for the both of them. He moved his hands to pull her shirt up, exposing the skin of her stomach, placing hot kisses there as he moved he raised the shirt further up. She moaned softly at the feeling of his mouth against her, and when he pulled the shirt up enough to expose her bra, she writhed beneath him, arching her back up to press herself against his chest.

He moved his hand behind her back, fumbling with the clasps on her bra, accidentally snapping the elastic back against her skin. She winced.

"Fuck," he muttered. The tip of his tongue stuck out of the corner of his mouth, and the look of deep concentration on his face brought Carol into a fit of giggles. "What?" he muttered as she arched up so he could get a better hold on the clasps.

"I feel like I'm in high school and some burly quarterback's trying to see my boobs."

"This a new one?" he asked, as she sat up, turning so he could see what he was working with.

"Yeah."

"Don't like it," he muttered. She laughed.

"That's 'cause you can't get it off me like the others." She swatted his hands away and unfastened it with ease, sliding it off her arms. He grabbed it and tossed it over his shoulders.

"We're burnin' it later." She snorted as he pulled her into his arms, peppering her jaw with kisses as he eased her back down to the ground. He kissed his way slowly down her body, torturing her with feather light kisses before teasing her with the softest caresses against her breasts, his thumbs gently rolling over her nipples.

They wasted no time in undressing each other, clothes flying in all directions about the tent. When he finally sunk into her, feeling her stretch around him, watching her head fall back and her mouth fall open in a silent cry, he leaned in, burying his moans against her shoulder.

When they collapsed together, their cries circling one another, breaths entwined as they stretched out against the floor of the tent, they listened to the wind whistling as the weather began to turn outside, and Carol shivered, pulling a sheet up over herself.

"Didn't have no rain the forecast," Daryl mumbled, moving to unzip the tent and poke his head out. "Shit. Fuckin' weather guys get paid to lie to us all the damned time." Carol giggled inside the tent, and he zipped them back in, turning to crawl back over her.

"Guess this means hunting's out of the question today," she said teasingly, walking her fingers up his bicep. "Whatever will we do?"

"Huntin' ain't outta the question," he said with a sleepy grin as he settled his hips against hers.

"Oh," she purred, arching her neck back as his tongue dipped into the hollow of her throat. "Does that make me the hunter or the hunted?" A little growl escaped the back of his throat, and she giggled as his fingers dug into her hips and he made her his all over again.

"Do you like working in the factory?" Carol asked, as she gently stroked his arms. He was spooned up against her, holding her back against his chest, his warms wrapped protectively around her.

"Not really," he muttered. "It's a paycheck though. Gotta provide for Grace, gotta make a livin'."

"You've met my friends," she said quietly. "What about your friends? Any work buddies I ought to know about?"

"Ain't never really been a people person," he admitted. "Pretty much keep to myself, ya know?" Carol nodded, closing her eyes as he kissed the back of her neck. "Like bein' with you, though. Much better'n bein' alone."

"Well I would hope so," she giggled, squeezing his arms. "I'm glad you get along with Glenn and Maggie and Michonne. Michonne's been there for me through a lot, you know? She's pretty much kept me sane since Sophia died."

"She means a lot to ya, huh?"

"She's like a sister to me," Carol admitted. "I don't know what I'd do without her. Don't know what I'd do without you, either."

"You won't ever know that," he promised. She smiled and turned in his arms, facing him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

"Why didn't I meet you ten years ago? Fifteen?" She smiled sadly, thinking of all the years they could have already had together. "Don't get me wrong, I loved Ed at first. And I'd never take back having Sophia and being her mama. But you…I love you so much, Daryl. It scares me how much I love you. It's just…I think this is what they write about when they write about…"

"About what?"

"About soul mates. True love. That kind of stuff." She felt her cheeks grow warm. "You probably think I'm crazy."

"Naw," he murmured, kissing her neck. "I feel it too." He kissed her forehead. "Feel like I need to touch ya all the time, to hold ya." She saw his cheeks redden and ran her fingers through his hair. "That's why I want ya to move in with me." Carol sighed softly and leaned her forehead against his. "Ain't tryin' to push ya. Ain't tryin' to pressure ya. Just wanna be with ya." He shrugged a little, and she kissed him again. When she pulled back, she was quiet for a few moments, chewing her bottom lip in worry and concentration. Finally, she shifted her gaze back to his face and stroked his cheek.

"Six months."

"Huh?"

"Let's give it six more months," Carol said softly. "In six months, I'll move in with you."

"You mean it?" he asked, surprised. She nodded. He narrowed his eyes at her and pushed back a little, sitting up. She sat up with him. "Wait a minute. You…you're waitin' to see if this works out, aren't you?" Carol shook her head. "'Cause I know it ain't been that long, but…but I know how I feel."

"Daryl," Carol murmured, pressing her thumb to his lips. "I'm saying I want to wait six months. I want to get through my divorce, and I want a little time on my own. Us, right now? This won't change. I'm saying I want to wait six months, not because I want to make sure we work out, but…" She bowed her head for a moment, taking a deep breath before looking up at him. "Because I _know_…six months from now, I'm still going to love you more than I ever thought I could." She smiled a little, watching as he swallowed the lump in his throat. "Six months from now, I know I'm going to move in with the man I'm going to spend the rest of my life with."

He stared at her for a moment, in awe and in love, and he brought his hand to her cheek, tracing his thumb against her cheek. Tearfully, she smiled at him, and she closed her eyes as he leaned in to kiss her, pulling her into his arms and thanking her for the beauty of her words in a wordless, loving embrace.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"Daryl? Daryl? Daryl!" She nudged him hard in the ribs, and he grunted, sitting up quickly, squinting into the darkness of the tent.

"Whasmatter?" he murmured sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"What is that?" she asked, eyes wide. Daryl fumbled around in the darkness for a moment before he found the lantern and turned the switch. A bright glow filled the tent, and Carol squinted, her eyes adjusting to the light.

"What's what?"

"That noise."

"What noise? Don't hear anything."

"Well, listen!" She scooted closer to him, and they both sat frozen in place, listening for the noise. When it came, Carol nudged his shoulder. Daryl snorted. "What? What is it that?"

"You really ain't been out in the woods much, huh?"

"Well? What…that's not a goat is it?" He chuckled and shook his head.

"That's a doe. She's callin' her fawn."

"Oh," Carol murmured, cheeks reddening with embarrassment. "Sorry. I just…I've never heard that sound before."

"S'alright," he said with a shrug. "You ain't used to it out here. But you will be." She gave him a little smile. "C'mon." He started reaching for his clothes, and Carol grabbed the tiny travel alarm clock she'd brought which showed it was four-thirty in the morning.

"Come on where?" she asked. "It's four-thirty."

"Perfect time for huntin'," he pointed out.

"You're not gonna kill that poor little deer are you?" Daryl sighed, seeing the worry in her face.

"Ah…no. No, we'll find a buck," he offered. Carol seemed a little worried, so Daryl reached out and pulled her up. "C'mon. S'alright. I'll teach you." He kissed her softly, his hand moving down her bare back to her butt, giving it a little squeeze. She laughed against his mouth, finally surrendering to his encouragements.

"Alright, but don't ask me to shoot the poor thing, because I've seen _Bambi_ too many times."

They slinked through the woods together. Daryl was quiet at her side, his crossbow in one hand, her hand in the other. She eyed him as the moonlight filtered down through the trees, considering the focused concentration etched in his brow. She couldn't help but let her mind wander as she watched him grim his bow tightly, seeing his muscles flex and twitch as they walked. He was absolutely gorgeous bathed in moonlight.

"When'd you learn to use a crossbow?" Carol asked softly after a few minutes of walking.

"Merle taught me, back when we used to go fishin'. We went huntin' sometimes. He gave me his…said I was better'n him anyway. Think he just wanted to give me somethin' so he wouldn't feel like such a shit for not really bein' there for me." Carol didn't really know what to say to that. All she knew was that whatever had happened to him in his life had turned him into the amazing man he was today. She hated what he'd gone through with his family, but she knew, after losing Sophia, that people could come back from almost anything.

The crinkling of leaves up ahead startled them both, and Daryl held his fingers to his lips, his eyes locking on hers before he gave her a little nod. He aimed his crossbow, and they waited. Within moments, a beautiful buck with giant antlers came walking across the path, about six yards ahead of them. He dipped his head low and rooted the ground before munching at a tuft of grass.

He aimed the crossbow, but when he felt her hand on his arm, he turned his head and he saw the little smile on her face, a smile that told him he didn't have to prove a damned thing to her. She gave him a little nod, and he lowered the bow, pulling his arm around her. They stood there watching the animal graze. He was completely oblivious to their presence, and that made it all the more magical. He was a magnificent creature, strong and proud, lifting his head once in a while at the slightest noise, on the alert for threats. Carol sighed softly, leaning her head on Daryl's shoulder, and he tightened his hold around her, rubbing small circles absentmindedly against her hip.

After about five minutes, the deer moved on, and Carol let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

"C'mon," Daryl murmured. "Let's go."

"Where?" she asked.

"You'll see," he murmured, a grin playing over his lips in the moonlight. He took her hand and led her off, and she followed him blindly, willingly. She followed him for what felt like an hour with all the twists and turns. At some point, she was certain they'd passed their camp, but she said nothing, trusting in him, knowing he wouldn't lead her wrong.

It wasn't long before the sound of water and the feel of the breeze against her face brought her to the realization that he'd led her down to the water in the quarry. Carol gasped softly as she stared over at the dark water as the moonlight reflected upon it like some mystical mirror.

She was in awe. The sky was so clear that the water looked black with flecks of light, like something out of a fairy tale. Daryl stripped down to nothing, and she followed his lead. He was the first in the water, holding his hand out for her. The moonlight bathed down on him in the water, and his skin appeared to glow. The whole scene was enchanting, and she wanted to jump right in and swim against the reflection of the moon.

"Wow," she breathed, as he tugged at her hand, pulling her into the water with him. "It's freezing!"

"I'll keep ya warm," he promised, holding onto her as they sunk down together, the water almost to their shoulders. Carol shivered as he pulled his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest. She sighed softly and rested her head on his shoulder as they held each other in the moonlit water. He pressed soft kisses along her shoulder and collarbone, and she moaned softly, her hands moving against his strong arms and over his broad shoulders, stroking his back. She lifted her head and met his lips with a tender kiss.

Time flew too quickly, as it always tended to do when the real world awaited back home. By the time the week was over, Carol had developed a bit of a tan, and Daryl had acquired a taste for skinny dipping, something she told him he'd have to put a lid on if he didn't want to get arrested for public indecency back home. He'd assured her, however, that the only reason he liked swimming naked was when she was swimming naked with him.

On the way home, Carol had fallen asleep with her head leaning against the passenger's side window. The next thing she knew, Daryl was gently shaking her shoulder, and she was waking up outside of Glenn and Maggie's house.

"We're here already?" she asked with a yawn.

"You've been out for an hour," he pointed out.

"Oh," she blushed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"S'alright," he murmured, "you were restless last night."

"I was?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Yeah. You probably needed that nap." She gave his hand a squeeze. "C'mon. Let's go get Gracie." The two climbed out of the truck and walked up the path, hand-in-hand. Glenn answered the door when Carol rang the bell, and he looked like he'd barely slept at all in the entire week since they'd last seen him.

"Come in," he yawned. "Maggie's getting Grace changed out of her pajamas." Daryl looked at the clock.

"It's four in the afternoon."

"Dude, don't start," Glenn muttered. "I've come to the conclusion that your child is a vampire. She stays up all night and sleeps all day." Carol snorted and nudged Daryl's arm.

"You mean to tell me you got her sleeping schedule all messed up? Great. That's awesome, Rhee," Daryl muttered.

"Hey. It's not like I didn't try," Glenn shot back. "Your kid hates me. I can feel it. It's like she waits for me to fall asleep before she decides 'hey, time to wake Glenn up!'"

"Get used to it," Carols pointed out. "Whenever you and Maggie have a baby, it's going to be the same thing."

"Nah," Glenn said with a shrug. "Our baby will be a human child, not the nocturnal half-child beast that Gracie is."

"You watch it, Rhee. That's my girl you're talkin' about." He knew Glenn was just teasing, so he gave him a jab in the shoulder. "How'd Maggie do?"

"Maggie wants one more than ever," Glenn groaned. "Gracie was a perfect angel for her. Of course, Maggie's a heavy sleeper—or pretends to be—so she wasn't the one getting up six times a night."

"Poor thing," Carol said softly.

"I'm alright," Glenn said with a yawn.

"I was talking about Gracie, but I'm glad you're alright, Glenn," Carol teased. Maggie came walking out of the back of the house with a fussy Grace.

"Hey sweet girl," Daryl murmured, reaching out to take his daughter in his arms. The baby's eyes widened at the recognition of her daddy's voice, and as soon as she focused her eyes on him, she smiled. "You got so big! What you been feedin' her?"

"She's huge, I know," Maggie laughed. "Don't worry, we took plenty of pictures, so you won't feel like you missed too much. You guys have a good time?"

"Great," Carol said with a nod.

"Thanks for watchin' her, guys," Daryl said with a nod, cradling Gracie close to his chest.

"Anytime," Maggie assured him. "We had a great time. Well, _I_ had a great time." She glanced at Glenn who rolled his eyes.

"I didn't have a _bad_ time. I just can't believe I'm this tired after only one week. Imagine having one around all the time. For eighteen years."

"I know, I can't wait!" Maggie gushed, leaning forward to kiss Gracie's fuzzy head. Maggie went to pack up the rest of Grace's things.

"You been to Hershel's yet?" Glenn asked as he picked up Grace's car seat.

"Not yet. We were gonna stop and get Cherokee on the way home."

"Just so you know," Glenn said quietly, as he and Daryl headed out to put Grace's car seat in Carol's car, which was still parked outside from last week, "Ed's called the office twice asking about Carol."

"Shit," Daryl murmured. "He come in?"

"Not yet," Glenn offered, "but I don't trust that he won't. Believe me, Daryl, if he steps foot in the office, I'll have the cops there so fast he won't know what hit him, but he sounds desperate to find her."

"A'right. Thanks for tellin' me. I'll talk to her about it later."

"I figured she'd handle it better coming from you, ya know?"

"Yeah. I know. Ed ain't gonna hurt her. I'd kill him before I let that happen." They worked quickly but carefully to put the car seat in the back of Carol's car. She and Maggie came walking out with Gracie and brought her and her things out to the waiting car. Daryl strapped Grace in like a pro and shook Glenn's hand for his help. Carol hugged Maggie and then Glenn, and Maggie remarked how Carol looked so happy, and that a week away had done wonders for her. Carol had simply blushed and thanked her, and then they were off toward Hershel's farm.

By the time the whole family arrived at Daryl's, everybody was bone tired. Cherokee had fallen asleep in the passenger's side of the pickup, Grace was snoozing away in her car seat, and both Carol and Daryl drank a hot cup of coffee—courtesy of Hershel—to keep themselves alert enough to get home.

Carol lifted Grace out of her car seat, leaving the device in her car for the time being. She held her close while Daryl lugged their things up to the front door. Cherokee whimpered and growled, stopping halfway up the sidewalk. He looked poised to attack, but he stayed put, barking at the house.

"Daryl," Carol muttered softly, a tremble running up her spine. Daryl reached for the door knob. "Don't. Daryl, I think something's wrong." As he let go of the knot, the door slid open as if it hadn't been properly latched. Daryl's blood ran cold. He knew he'd checked and double checked that lock, and there was no way he'd left it like that.

"Stay out here. I'm goin' in."

"No! Daryl, we should wait for the police." She fished her cell phone out of her pocket. Daryl eyed her and swallowed hard.

"Glenn told me Ed's been callin' about you."

"What?"

"At the house, before we left to get Cherokee? He said Ed's been callin' askin' for you a lot."

"Oh shit," Carol murmured. "Daryl, let's go. Let's go sit in the car and call the cops and wait." Daryl wanted to go in and check the place out himself, but Carol was tugging on his arm, her eyes filled with worry and tears, and he wasn't about to leave her and the baby alone outside with the chance that Ed could be outside watching, waiting.

Daryl took Grace in his arms as they walked to the car. Carol dialed for the police, and they piled into her car. Daryl let Cherokee in the backseat, and they waited, eyes fixed on the house for any sign that somebody might be inside.

It was only a matter of minutes before a police cruiser came sneaking up the street without the flashing lights and sirens. Carol breathed a sigh of relief, and when the officer got out, she realized it was Officer Grimes who had arrested Ed when he'd busted into her apartment.

"Either of you been inside?"

"Nah, figured you could have the pleasure of checkin' it out for yourself," Daryl said with a tense frown. "You alright with that, Officer?" Officer Grimes looked at Carol and at the baby in her arms.

"She alright?" he asked, ducking down to peer into the car past Daryl.

"She's fine. She's sleeping." Rick smiled a little.

"Got a little girl about her age. You folks did right stayin' out here. I'll check it out. I'm sending a car to your apartment to check the place out, Mrs. Peletier." Carol cringed at that but decided to overlook it. "Ya'll just wait here." Rick nodded toward the car, and another officer got out.

"This is my partner, Shane Walsh."

"Can you just get in there and make sure that crazy asshole ain't in there, already?" Daryl asked, nodding to Grimes' backup. "I got a baby to take care of."

"You always this much of a shit to folks tryin' to help ya?" Shane asked.

"Shane," Grimes said with a little shake of his head. "C'mon." They headed inside, and Carol put her hand over Daryl's on the steering wheel. It was only a few minutes before Rick Grimes and Shane Walsh came out the front door, guns drawn. Carol tensed in the seat as she watched the two make a sweep around the yard, disappearing behind the house before coming back, guns holstered.

"The place is trashed, Mr. Dixon," Rick said quietly. "Sorry to tell you, but you might wanna think about findin' a hotel for the night. It's pretty messed up in there."

"Fuck," Daryl grunted. "Son of a bitch." Carol squeezed his arm.

"I'm so sorry, Daryl," she whispered.

"Don't," he said, shaking his head. "You didn't do this. That piece of shit did this, and we all know it." Rick's walkie buzzed as someone on the other side spoke about a breaking and entering somewhere else in town. Rick sighed and shook his head.

"That was the squad car I sent to your place, Mrs. Peletier," Rick said quietly. "Looks like it's been broken into as well." Carol let out a choked sob and held Grace close to her chest. Daryl looked from Shane to Rick, his eyes filled with angry fire.

"Ain't you two gonna do somethin'? Ain't you gonna do your job?"

"Mr. Dixon," Shane said with a shake of his head, "there ain't no proof of who done it."

"Bullshit," Daryl spat. "We all know who did it. What about you, _Rick Grimes_, why don't you give us your take on all this?"

"Ed Peletier did post bail, and he's a free man pending investigation for…"

"What investigation?" Daryl asked. "The son of a bitch broke into Carol's apartment. He threatened her. He attacked her. What the fuck you got to investigate?" Daryl slammed his hand down hard on the steering wheel.

"The only thing I can suggest you do, like I suggested last time, Mrs. Peletier, is get yourself a restraining order." Carol sighed heavily, tears prickling in her eyes. "If ya'll would like to accompany me downtown, we can get you started on that right away." Carol and Daryl shared a glance before Carol finally nodded in agreement.

"Alright," she said softly. "It won't keep him away from me, but I guess it's a start."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

After a very long few hours downtown, Carol managed to get herself a temporary restraining order against Ed, pending a hearing that would give her an extended order protecting her for five years. Rick Grimes had even accompanied them to the court house and helped Carol plead her case. With a little help from him, she was able to get the order quickly, avoiding the wait it would take for her to be served with one. Still, Rick had explained that there was no proof they could use to pin the break-ins on Ed, but that the restraining order would have his ass in jail in no time should he approach her again.

"Who's to say he won't care about the order? Come after her anyway?" Daryl asked, his hands shaking nervously as they stood outside the courthouse.

"He'll be notified. There'll be a hearing where Carol will be granted a five-year-order against him. Ed may or may not attend, but legally, he will be notified about his rights. I can assure that I will personally attend that hearing. They're going to ask for evidence, and we've got the police report from last time. Daryl can speak as a witness to what happened the night Ed was arrested. You'll get that order, Carol." Carol sighed as Daryl wrapped an arm around her. "You folks need anything, you let me know, alright? Please don't hesitate."

"Thank you," Carol said softly. "I really appreciate everything you've done for us today."

"I gotta warn you, Mr. Dixon, you need to keep away from Ed. This restraining order is only good for Carol, so don't seek him out. He approaches you, you walk away. He approaches Carol, you call me. Got it?"

Daryl gave a little nod of understanding before pressing a kiss to the side of Carol's head. A few tears slipped down her cheek, and she took a few shaky breaths.

"You folks need any assistance finding a place to stay for a few days?"

"Nah, we'll be alright," Daryl assured him, shaking his hand. "Thanks, Officer." Rick handed Daryl a card.

"That's my name and my number. Anything happens, you let me know, alright?"

"Will do. Thanks." Rick excused himself, and Daryl pulled Carol into a gentle hug, rubbing her back softly. "S'gonna be ok. We'll find a place tonight." At that point, Carol's phone started ringing, and she handed the baby over to Daryl.

"It's Michonne," she sniffled. He nodded, and she answered. "Hey, Mich."

"Carol?! Where are you? I just drove by your place, and there's cops all over your parking lot. Your door's busted in, and…"

"I know, Mich. We're downtown at the court house."

"What happened?"

"Somebody broke into Daryl's house and my apartment while we were gone."

"Somebody? You mean Ed? Please tell me his ass is behind bars."

"There's no proof he did it."

"No proof my ass!"

"Mich, it's ok. I'm getting a restraining order, and…"

"Where are you two going?"

"We're going to get a hotel."

"Bullshit. You're coming here."

"What? Mich, no," Carol argued.

"Stop talking. Get over here. Now. Bring Daryl. Bring Grace. Bring the dog. You're staying with me, and I'm not taking no for an answer."

"What about Mike?"

"Mike's not here. I kicked him out."

"What?"

"What'd I say? Get over here now. I'm more worried about you right now than me. Don't make me get Daryl to convince you." Carol eyed Daryl, who narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"Fine. Fine. We're coming. We have to go get a few things, but…"

"One hour. After that, I'm gonna come looking for you."

"Alright. We're coming," Carol assured her.

"Good. Hurry. Love you."

"Love you," Carol replied before hanging up. Daryl eyed her and she shrugged her shoulders.

"Michonne wants us to stay with her. She won't take no for an answer." Daryl raised an eyebrow, and he adjusted Grace in his arms. "It's just for a night or two. It's better than a stuffy hotel room, right?" He nodded and gave her a soft kiss.

"Don't care where I go, s'long as you're with me."

"I am," she assured him, rubbing his arm. Daryl put Gracie in her car seat, and they climbed into Carol's car and started off to pack up for a stay at Michonne's house.

To Carol's relief, Ed hadn't even attempted to touch Sophia's stuffed bunny or the photos Carol had kept, and tonight, Carol wanted to keep those items close. She packed them in her suitcase, and Daryl kept close to her as they moved through the house, locking up and making sure nobody would get in. The police officers had been kind enough to get the door back on its hinges, and Carol made a mental note to herself that when she got the security system installed next week, she'd get a stronger door, too.

"Jesus, he did a number on this place," Daryl murmured, holding Grace close as he and Carol made their way from room to room.

"They're just things," she said quietly, mostly for her own benefit. "They can be replaced." He'd pulled her television off the mount on the wall, and a huge crack went down the middle of the screen. He'd busted her stereo and all of the mirrors in her house. "I just don't understand. It doesn't make sense."

"Carol," he said quietly, "the man's crazy. He ain't the man you knew before."

"I know," she said with a nod. "I know that. I just can't seem to wrap my mind around it." Carol's cell phone rang, and she checked the number. "That's Glenn." She answered. "Glenn, hi."

"Carol? Are you ok? Michonne just called."

"I'm fine. Things got a little smashed up, but I'm fine. Daryl's fine. Grace and Cherokee, too."

"It was Ed, wasn't it?"

"Can't prove it," Carol said shortly. "But who else would bust into Daryl's place and my place? I feel gross, Glenn. I feel dirty."

"You guys are welcome to stay with us, you know?"

"Thanks, but Michonne's offering her place for the night. Thanks for calling. I really appreciate that."

"You're not working tomorrow," Glenn said quietly. "You need to take some time and get things situated."

"It's ok. I can work."

"You heard me. You're taking the day off. You've got all kinds of personal hours saved up. I'll make sure you're paid for tomorrow."

"That's really nice, Glenn, but you don't…"

"You heard me."

"You're starting to sound like Michonne," Carol said with a soft chuckle. "I do appreciate everything, Glenn. Thank you so much." Carol spoke with him for a few more minutes before ending the call and putting her phone away.

"You ok?" Daryl asked quietly, leaning against the doorway to her bedroom.

"I will be," Carol said softly. "Let's get out of here."

Daryl woke first, blinking into the early morning light, realizing he wasn't home, at Carol's, in the tent or in a hotel room. When he heard Grace fuss from the port-a-crib in the corner, he remembered he was at Michonne's because somebody—_fuck that Ed Peletier—_had trashed both of their places last night.

Carol was sound asleep at his side, her face half-buried in the pillow. He leaned over and kissed her cheek, hoping the stubble on his chin wouldn't scratch her and wake her up. She just moaned softly and pulled herself further into the pillow, shivering as she felt the cool air hit her shoulder. He edged the sheet up a little to cover her, and she relaxed.

Daryl could tell Grace was about to go from fussing to full-blown screaming, so to avoid waking Carol and let her sleep a little longer, he pulled himself out of bed, pulled on a pair of sweats and a white t-shirt and picked up the baby.

"C'mon, little miss." He carried the baby down the hall where he was surprised to see Michonne in the kitchen. Andre was in his high chair munching on a handful of cereal.

"You've got an early riser too, huh?" Michonne asked, looking up from her cup of coffee.

"Yeah. She was about to have a meltdown," Daryl chuckled.

"Andre's idea of sleeping in is waking up at five-thirty," Michonne said with a grin. Daryl looked at Michonne's son, who held up a fistful of cereal and grinned at him.

"He looks like ya," he pointed out.

"Nah, he looks like his daddy," Michonne said with a shrug. "He's got my smile though." Grace fussed a little more in Daryl's arms. "Here, I'll take her if you wanna make her a bottle. I put Grace's formula and bottles in that cabinet." Michonne pointed, and Daryl nodded thankfully. He handed Grace over to Michonne and went about fixing a bottle for his daughter. Michonne cuddled Grace close, and the baby relaxed against her chest. "It feels strange to hold a baby this small. Some days it's hard to believe Andre was ever this tiny." She kissed the top of Grace's head.

"She ain't so tiny. Seems like she's growin' out of diapers and clothes more'n she's wearin' 'em."

"Yeah, they tend to do that," Michonne laughed. "Carol still sleepin'?"

"Yeah. Didn't wanna wake her. Let her sleep after everything." He screwed the cap on the plastic bottle with little red lady bug stickers all up and down it, and he shook it up. He took Grace back from Michonne and sat down at the table. Grace suckled hungrily at the bottle, her little hands gripping at the air. She squirmed a little in his arms.

"She likes Carol to give her the mornin' bottle. When Carol ain't here, she puts up a fight for me." Michonne smiled at the way Daryl talked about Carol as he gazed down at his daughter. "Grace loves her. Sometimes I think she likes her more'n she likes me." He grinned up at Michonne, and she saw the happiness in his eyes.

"You really love her, don't you?" Michonne asked softly, reaching over to pick pieces of Cheerios out from between Andre's fingers. Daryl eyed her. "When Carol told me about you, I didn't know what to think. She wasn't the kind of woman who went off and slept with a stranger. I knew she was having trouble with Ed, but I didn't think…I know she's not that person. So I was worried, at first. I was worried about her. But when she talked about you…I've never seen her like that. She was so happy. She still is. You make her happy, Daryl. I think she was waiting her whole life for you." She cleared her throat a little. "Sorry, I don't usually go for the sappy, but Carol's my girl, and I just want to see her happy."

"Glad Carol's got a friend like you. Don't think ya know how much you've helped her out." Michonne gave a little shrug.

"Not to quote corny song lyrics, but that's what friends are for, right?" At that point, Carol came shuffling into the kitchen in her robe. Michonne got up to pour her a cup of coffee. Carol leaned over behind Daryl, wrapping her arms around him and kissing the side of his neck.

"You didn't wake me," she said softly, moving around to kiss Grace's forehead. She knelt down next to Daryl on the floor and ran her fingers over Grace's soft baby hair.

"You looked like you were sleepin' good."

"I was," she said with a little nod. She leaned up to kiss him before standing and moving across the kitchen to accept a steaming cup of coffee from Michonne. "Thanks. What've you too been up to this morning?"

"Oh, nothing," Michonne said with a little shrug. "Swapping baby food recipes and adventures in diapering stories." Michonne and Daryl shared a look, and Carol rolled her eyes.

"Yeah," she chuckled, "I believe that." When Grace caught sight of Carol, she began to fuss and squirm in Daryl's arms again.

"Well, I see I'm of no use here," Daryl muttered. Carol giggled and sat down in the chair next to Daryl. She put her coffee down and took Grace into her arms.

"C'mere, Gracie," Carol cooed. The baby cooed back at her and settled against her arm as she continued her bottle almost uninterrupted. "Now you know you shouldn't fuss and cry for your daddy every time I walk into the room. You're gonna give him a complex." Daryl snorted.

"I'll let you ladies talk. I'm gonna grab a quick shower." He kissed Carol and then Gracie, and as he left the kitchen, Cherokee came bounding in and whined at the door.

"Why are all you males so needy?" Michonne muttered down at Cherokee, who looked up at her, licked his snout and whined again. "Alright, go do your business, Rover." She opened the back door, and he ran out into the fenced in back yard, bounding about like a new puppy. When Michonne settled back down at the table, Carol eyed her. "What?"

"Ok, you listened to me cry all about my messed up life last night. It's your turn. What happened with Mike?" Michonne fidgeted in her chair. "Oh no. You aren't getting out of this tight lipped. Glenn gave me the day off of work. I've got all day. Now talk, Mich. Don't make me force it out of you. I'm here. I'm listening. That's what friends are for." Michonne couldn't suppress the amused grin before she rolled her eyes and sighed, taking another sip of piping hot coffee.


	22. Chapter 22

_Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has been awesome enough to leave feedback! I appreciate each and every one of you!_

Chapter 22

Daryl had felt a sense of panic on his lunch break when he'd checked his messages. He had one from Carol, and the worry rose up in his heart, nearly paralyzing him for a moment. But, he calmed himself, knowing if it was an emergency, Carol would have called. The message didn't sound panicked, but it sounded urgent.

Daryl, call me as soon as you get this.

The first thing his mind had gone to was that Ed had broken the restraining order or had called her to harass her. It had been a couple of months since the break ins, and he still worried every time he had a message from her. The last thing he wanted to find out was that she'd been hurt in any way.

He dialed her number quickly, and she picked up after only one ring.

"Daryl?"

"Hey. You ok?"

"Yeah," she said softly, her voice shaking.

"What happened? You're cryin'." He reached into his work locker, grabbing his wallet and keys. "I'm on my way. You at work?"

"Wait, no, I'm…I'm crying, but not…it's not what you think." She sniffled and gave a little laugh, and his pulse slowed a little. "Daryl, it's over!"

"What?"

"The judge granted my divorce. It's done, Daryl. I'm not married to Ed anymore." He didn't quite know what to say. "Daryl? Are you there?"

"I'm here. I just…really? It's over? Just like that?" Well, not_ just_ like that. The divorce proceedings had actually dragged out far longer than Carol's attorney had anticipated.

"It's over," she murmured, breathing a breath of fresh air, feeling completely free for the first time in years.

"How you feelin'?"

"I'm happy, Daryl. I'm…I'm just…I want to put the past behind me." And so did he. All he wanted to do was move on. With her. Whatever happened, he could take it so long as she was with him. "I love you so much."

"I love you," he murmured. "We should celebrate."

"Alright," she said softly. "Celebrate how?"

"Lemme take you to dinner."

"Dinner? What should I wear?" Her voice was filled with happiness, and it warmed his heart.

"Surprise me. Wear somethin' red."

"Ooh, fancy. Alright," she giggled.

"I'll pick you up at six?"

"Perfect," she said softly.

"Carol?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"I love you," she whispered softly, those very words filling him, warming him. He hung up and put his phone back in his locker before anxiously tapping his fingers against the metal door. His mind was racing about as fast as his heart was. Carol's marriage was over. She loved him. She wanted to be with him. In a few months, they'd be living together. The future was so clear now. They _had_ a future. He could picture himself getting on one knee, giving her a ring, seeing her walk toward him down an aisle as Grace served as flower girl. He took a deep breath, feeling everything all at once. It was all _so_ much at once, but then again, that was the story of their relationship. They dove in head first and prayed they would swim, not sink.

Carol took a long, hot bath after work, shaved her legs and washed her hair. She soaked in the steaming water until she couldn't take the heat any longer. When she finally pulled herself out, she wrapped a robe around herself and went to work at the mirror styling her hair. She put just a little bit of pomade in her palms and rubbed them together before running her fingers through her hair, giving it just the faintest amount of spike.

She considered herself in the mirror for a moment, remembering way back when she used to have hair down her back before Sophia's birth. When Sophia had lost all of her hair from the chemo, Carol had cut her hair very short to show her that hair was simply hair, and it would grow back someday. Excited by her mother's actions, Sophia had requested that all of her Barbie dolls have their hair cut short. Carol had obliged, and she and Sophia had spent an entire afternoon playing beauty shop with the little plastic dolls.

She smiled at the memory. That had been a good day. Sophia hadn't been sick that day. She'd been happy and energetic.

Carol ran her fingers through her hair. Ever since that day, she'd kept her hair cut short, and she liked it like that. It was long enough now that it curled slightly in the heat and she could style it.

She untied the bathrobe and let it slip down her body, looking at herself in the full length mirror on the back of the bathroom door. She ran her hands down her flat stomach, her fingers tracing over the pale marks she'd gained when she'd carried Sophia. She felt the tears sting her eyes again, remembering complaining about the marks after Sophia was born. Now, she wouldn't give them up for anything in the world. They were reminders of the nine months she had her baby safe inside of her, nine months she'd never take back.

Sighing softly, she went about brushing her teeth and getting dressed, dabbling on the perfume that she'd worn the first night they met. She pulled on a sexy red dress that clung to her in all the right places, the neck dipping down to display highlight her cleavage. She did double take in the mirror, almost not recognizing the woman who stood before her. It had been a long time since she'd gotten dressed up like this, and she liked it. She cocked her head to the side, wondering if he'd like it, too.

In no time, it was six o'clock, and Daryl was pulling up outside of her building. She trembled at the sound of the door bell, and Carol pulled on her heels—a matching red—and headed to answer the door.

On the other side was a sight she hadn't been expecting. Daryl Dixon stood there, hair cut shorter than she'd ever seen it. It still swept to the side, but there wasn't much there she could run her fingers through.

He had shaved, and he was wearing a slick, black suit that made her heart pound. He looked like he belonged on the cover of GQ magazine.

"Oh my God," she murmured. "Who….are you?"

"Stop," he muttered.

"No more sheepdog," she pouted playfully. He brought his hand out from behind his back, displaying a bouquet of white lilies." Carol gasped softly.

"Oh, Daryl," she whispered softly, "they're beautiful."

"You look amazin'," he murmured, taking in the sight of her in that curve hugging dress.

"I feel silly," she admitted. "This dress is probably made for a woman half my age."

"You're the only one I wanna see wearin' it…or takin' it off." Carol blushed this time at his forwardness, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, greeting him with a soft kiss with a little heat behind it, promising much more to come later.

"Alright, Dixon," she murmured. "Well played." He gave her a lopsided grin before running his hands down her back. She sighed and kissed him again, enjoying the feeling of his smooth face against hers. She ran her hand over his cheek and shook her head. "I feel like I'm kissing a younger man."

"It'll grow back," he promised. She grinned at him and took his hand.

"Come on in. I'll put these in water." She took the lilies and found a vase to put them in. He watched her move about the kitchen, filling the vase with water and situating it in the center of the dinner table. "How's that?"

"Looks nice," he commented, never taking his eyes off of her. She blushed under the heat of his gaze. She realized she was nervous. Somehow, this felt like a first date. Well, in a way, it kind of was. She'd seen him naked, had his head between her legs, had his dick inside of her more times than she could count, and she had butterflies in her stomach.

Daryl noticed the way her cheeks turned pink as his gaze washed over her.

"You alright?" he asked, moving toward her.

"I'm fine," she assured him. "A little warm, but fine." He brought his hands to her waist and tugged her close. "I'm…just gonna grab my purse, and I'll be ready." He moved his hand up to cup her face, and he kissed her.

"You're shakin'," he observed. She smiled nervously and shrugged her shoulder.

"I…I don't know why. I think I know you better than I know me. I don't know why everything feels different tonight." Carol nearly melted into a puddle on the floor as his eyes bore into hers.

"Don't got nothin' to worry 'bout. We got all night, and we're gonna celebrate. You need a night out. We both do." Carol nodded, her shoulders still jerking a little as she tried to calm her nerves. He brought tightened his hold on her, pulling her against his chest, and she relaxed a little.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly, resting her head on his shoulder. "I guess I'm still a little overwhelmed by that it's all over."

"That's over," Daryl murmured with a nod, pulling back and gently cradling her face in his hands. "But _this_…" He leaned in to kiss her softly. "This is just gettin' started."

They had a quiet dinner together at a place neither of them had ever been to before. They both knew that the other wasn't a fancy restaurant person, but Daryl wanted to take her some place nice to celebrate. After a pretty expensive meal and a glass of champagne each, they went back to Carol's place. It was only a matter of minutes after getting through that door that Carol's sexy red dress was just one part of a trail of clothing leading from the front door to the bedroom.

In the afterglow of the most energetic sex they'd had for quite some time, Carol lay curled up against Daryl's side, her fingers trialing lazy circles along his shoulder and his chest. Her legs felt like jelly, and the rest of her body felt tingly and sleep-heavy. She smiled as his hand moved along her back and her ass, and she pushed herself closer to him, kissing his neck, humming softly in appreciation when he hardened a little under the sheet.

"I need to tell you somethin'," Daryl said quietly.

"Okay," she said with a little nod, taking a deep breath, preparing herself for, well, anything.

"This whole time I loved you," he said quietly. She smiled, stroking his jaw with her fingertips.

"I know," she murmured.

"But you weren't mine. Not completely. We started this…we were both strangers. And I know you now, and I don't want to lose you."

"You won't," she promised him. She kissed him softly. "I'm yours. You know that, right?" He eyed her, a little smile pulling at his lips. "I love you more than I ever thought was possible."

"I want to marry you," he murmured, catching her off guard.

"Daryl," she whispered, "I need…"

"I ain't proposin'," he assured her. "Not now." He gently chucked her chin, getting a nervous smile out of her. "I'm just tellin' ya. I want to marry you someday. You're my family now, and I want it to stay that way. I want to raise Grace with you. I see you with her, and I know you love her as much as I do. I know you hurt when you think of your girl, but I see you look at Grace, and you love her the way a mama should." He saw the tears in her eyes and kissed her softly. When he pulled back, her lip trembled, and she sighed.

"Daryl Dixon, you take my breath away sometimes," she whispered. "I love you so damned much."

"I know you just got divorced. I ain't rushin' you. I ain't gonna do a thing 'til you tell me you're ready; 'til I know you're ready. I don't wanna mess this up. I want to give you what you never had. I wanna make you happy."

"You do make me happy. Every day, Daryl. I thank God every day for him bringing you into my life." She curled up against his chest, and he could feel the dampness from her tears. He just stroked her back and kissed the top of her head, and before too long, they let the pull of sleep overtake them both.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"He asked you to marry him?" Michonne asked, wide-eyed as they walked around the mall together, Carol pushing four-month-old Grace in her stroller, Michonne pushing Andre. Daryl had taken his truck in to the shop, and as it was a weekend, Carol didn't have to work, therefore she offered to watch Grace for a few hours.

"No. He told me he's going to ask me one day."

"What…exactly does that mean?" Michonne wondered as they rounded the corner toward some of the clothing stores.

"It means…things are good. I'm happy. He's happy. We're…happy."

"I get the happy part, I mean, obviously. You guys seems great together. It's just kinda soon, right?"

"What about our relationship _hasn't_ been soon?" Carol pointed out. "Michonne, I know this is a guy I met in a bar, but I think I was supposed to meet him. He's just…it's nothing like with Ed. I did love Ed. I did. But with Daryl, he makes me feel things I never thought I could. When I'm with him, I don't hurt anymore. He's what I've been missing." Michonne put her hand on her chest.

"Wow. That's…deep."

"Shut up," Carol laughed. Michonne snickered at her.

"Seriously, I'm happy for you guys. Daryl makes you happy, and that's what I care about." Carol smiled at her friend.

"So, any news with Mike?"

"Mike who?" Michonne asked with a half-pout and a roll of her eyes.

"Seriously, what happened between you guys? You were very vague when you told me about it." Michonne sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"He isn't acting like a parent. He tries to be Andre's buddy more than his daddy, and I told him that Andre's at the age where he needs discipline, not a partner in crime."

"Ah," Carol said with a nod.

"Anyway, it blew up into a big fight, and Mike said he was going to stay at his friend's for a few days. I told him not to bother coming back." Michonne sighed. "I knew he wasn't ready for marriage and a kid when I told him I was pregnant and he spent the next two weeks straight playing video games and talking about how he wanted to get it out of his system before the baby came." Carol raised an eyebrow. "I guess it's a good thing I never married him."

"You love him, though."

"Oh, I love him, but I know he's not marriage material. I think he could be a really good dad to Andre, but he needs to grow up a little. I don't want to marry him, Carol. If I ever do get married, I need it to marry a guy that knows how to be there for me and be a man and act like a dad _and_ a buddy for my boy, you know?"

"I know," Carol said softly. "I worry about that with Daryl. I know Grace isn't mine, but he loves her so much. I worry he won't know how to discipline her when the time comes. He's already got her spoiled."

"And you don't?" Michonne teased.

"Well, she's not…she's not mine. But she feels like mine sometimes, you know?" She caught Michonne's smile. "What?"

"You're already that little girl's mama, you know that?"

"Michonne…"

"You love her. You hold her like a mama does. You care for her."

"I don't want to overstep. I know she's Daryl's. I know that. I just…I feel…"

"You want to be her mama." Michonne caught the tears sparkling in Carol's eyes. Carol swallowed hard and nodded her head.

"I'm afraid, Michonne."

"Of what?"

"I want to spend my life with Daryl. I'm…I'm so incredibly in love with him. I've never felt like this before. And Grace…when I hold her, she's mine, you know? I'm just afraid that if things don't work out, Grace will be the one left hurting, and I'll feel like…"

"Like you're losing Sophia all over again." Carol nodded, thankful that Michonne knew her so well. "Look, Carol, you can't think like that. You and Daryl have a good thing going. You can't be afraid to live and be happy, because you'll stay stuck in place forever. That's not what you want. You have to just…jump in."

"Like I just jumped into this thing with Daryl," Carol murmured. "No questions. Blind?"

"Well, no, because you know him. You just have to take a deep breath and go. Just live, Carol. Don't let the past hold you back, because that's just gonna make it harder to move on."

Carol had called Daryl before leaving the mall, and he was going to be stuck at the garage for at least another hour. Carol decided to go to the grocery store and pick up a few items to surprise Daryl with a nice supper. Grace slept the whole way to the store, woke up for the shopping trip and then went right back to sleep as soon as Carol pulled out of the parking lot.

Carol couldn't help but smile, remembering how Sophia was easy to put to sleep with a car ride, too. Carol was thankful that Grace was a pretty easy-going baby. She seemed pretty laid back like her daddy.

"Alright, Miss Gracie, we're going home, and we're going to make daddy a very special supper. Sound good to you?" Silence. "Great! Me too." Carol turned the radio on low and relaxed, enjoying the drive back to Daryl's house, looking forward to a nice evening, just the three of them.

She put a lot of thought into her chat with Michonne. After everything she'd been through, she was afraid of somehow losing Daryl and Grace, and the thought was almost physically painful. Her stomach twisted into knots over it, her heart raced, and she felt a distinctly heavy fear settle into her chest, swirling like smoke around her body. Her throat tightened and she felt the tears sting her eyes. She couldn't understand herself sometimes, but she knew that the last thing she wanted in this whole world was to lose these two very important people. They had become her world, and she wasn't about to lose them for anything.

Grace woke just as Carol turned down the street toward Daryl's house. When she pulled up out front, she hurried around to take the baby out of her car seat. Grace hiccupped and grunted as Carol held her close.

"It's alright, little miss," she whispered. "I'm here. I've got you." She kissed her forehead and patted her back. "Let's get you inside, huh?" She took the baby in, and when Gracie was content again, she put her down in her swing and hurried out to bring in the groceries.

She went about making a steak dinner with roasted red potatoes and a side salad. Before too long, the house was filled with the delicious aromas of a home cooked meal. Once everything was nearly finished, she cut the heat down and returned to the living room to play with Gracie until Daryl arrived home.

She picked Gracie up and lay back on the couch with the baby against her chest. She yawned and lay back, stroking the little one's back as Cherokee slept on the floor nearby. After a few minutes, she heard a knock at the door, and she frowned, her heart nearly beating out of her chest.

Standing, she made her way to the door and peeked out the window. She was surprised to find Rick Grimes standing there in his uniform with his hat perched high on his head.

"Officer Grimes?" Carol asked.

"Mrs. Peletier?"

"Not anymore," Carol pointed out. "What can I do for you?"

"Can you open the door?" Carol hesitated for a moment before unlocking it and opening it up. "What's wrong?" Her heart was in her throat now.

"We've been calling your cell phone."

"I…the battery must be…" She reached for her phone, realizing it was dead. "God, what happened?"

"It's Daryl," Rick said quietly. Carol felt her knees go weak, and she held Grace against her chest.

"Oh God. No. What…" Her knees started to give out, and Rick caught her under the arms, acting swiftly to take Grace in one arm and hold Carol up with the other. He helped her over to the couch and put the baby down in her swing. She fussed a little, but Cherokee moved over to her, licking her feet, making her giggle.

"Carol…"

"He was at the mechanic. He was…tell me he's alright. Rick, you tell me he's alright."

"He's…he's at the hospital. He's been shot."

"Oh my God! What…" Her mind was racing faster than her heart, and she found it harder to catch her breath. Rick put his hand on her back.

"Breathe. Easy. Take deep breaths. Just focus on my voice, Carol." She leaned over a little, feeling dizzy, the worst possible scenarios playing out in her head. "It was a through and through. He lost a lot of blood, but he's gonna be ok. I've got an officer keeping an eye on him at the hospital, and he called me just a few minutes ago to tell me Daryl's gonna pull through.

"How'd this happen?" Somehow, she already knew.

"Jay Oren saw it happen. Said your ex-husband spotted Daryl's truck, stopped by, drunk off his ass. Said he pulled a gun on Daryl and fired."

"Oh my God," Carol sobbed. "Tell me you got that son of a bitch. Tell me he's not still out there, Rick." Rick's face fell, and Carol felt like she was going to be sick.

"We've got patrols out lookin' for him. We've got a car outside his house, outside his office. He goes to either of those places, he's gonna be found." Carol nodded, sniffling and wiping her tears. "I know you're scared, Carol. I know this has to be painful. But I gotta tell you, we got a witness, and when Daryl's ready, he can give us his statement. Jay Oren doesn't have surveillance cameras at his shop, but the store across the street does. We're workin' right now to get that. We can put him away, Carol." Carol ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head.

"I want him dead, Rick." Rick watched as she got up and paced the room, wringing her hands and trying not to hyperventilate.

"I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that," he said nervously. "You need a ride to the hospital."

"I…I can call Michonne. She's my friend."

"You call her, but I'm drivin' you, alright?" He got up and moved to her, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Listen to me, alright? You have to breathe." Carol nodded, the tears still flowing. "It's gonna be alright. We're gonna get him, Carol."

"It's my fault," she cried. "It's my fault." She swallowed hard. "I was selfish, and I was…if I hadn't wanted to get back at him, none of this…" She realized she was practically speaking to a complete stranger, and she sobered. "Please. Take me to him. I need to see him." Rick nodded and pulled out his cell phone. "What're you doing?"

"What's your friend's phone number. Michonne's her name, right?"

"Yeah. Um…" Carol thought for a moment and finally rattled off the number. Rick dialed, and he looked her right in the eye. "I'm gonna call Michonne, see if she can come watch the baby. The hospital ain't no place for her right now, ok?"

"I don't want them here alone. Ed could come, and…"

"I'll have my partner come sit watch, alright? We're not gonna let him hurt your family anymore."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Daryl threw out a string of curse words as the nurse worked to apply fresh bandages.

"Sorry, Mr. Dixon. I'll see if we can get you some more painkillers."

"Jesus, fuck that hurts," he hissed out. "Son of a bitch comes near me again, I'll break his god damned neck."

"Calm down, Mr. Dixon," the nurse urged. "You need to relax, or you'll break your stitches. You've already lost quite a bit of blood, and you need…"

"What I need is to see my fiancé…my…" he grunted, "my girlfriend. Where's Carol?" The nurse looked blankly at him before finishing with his bandages. He relaxed against the bed again, and he pounded his fist into the mattress. The nurse left quickly, and the officer stationed outside of his room poked his head in.

"You called him, right?" Daryl asked. "They're comin'?"

"Officer Grimes said he's got her, and they're on the way."

"What about my little girl?"

"I…I'm not sure, sir." Daryl sighed in frustration and leaned back against the bed. It was only a few minutes before he heard a commotion out in the hall.

"Where is he? Where's Daryl?" He sat up a little too quickly, his stitches pulling a little. Within seconds, Carol was walking into the room, her eyes red from crying. "Oh God. Oh God." She rushed to his bedside, and he held his hand out to her. She took it between her hands, giving him a little squeeze. "Oh God, Daryl. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Hey," he murmured, "this ain't on you. This ain't. You didn't do this." Rick stepped in the room long enough to give a little nod to Daryl, and then he pulled the door shut to give them some privacy.

"Ed did this to you?" she asked. Daryl gave her a little nod and winced in pain.

"Then it is my fault," she said softly.

"What're you talkin' about? He's the crazy sumbitch that did this." Carol shook her head and wiped at her eyes.

"Daryl, I'm the one that went out looking to get back at him. If I hadn't…then you never would have met me, and you wouldn't be laying here shot right now."

"Stop," Daryl urged. "Don't do this. A'right?" Carol shook her head.

"I love you so much. I'm so sorry, Daryl."

"You don't get to apologize for bein' with me. You don't get to apologize for comin' into my life, 'cause that night was the best night of my life." Carol sobbed as he spoke. "Hey. Look at me." She sniffled and wiped her eyes, looking at him through teary eyes. "I love you, Carol. I love you. There are _no_ regrets between us, you hear me? No regrets."

"Daryl…"

"I ain't sorry I met you. I never could be. Only thing I could be sorry about is if I'd been stupid enough to look the other way when you came walkin' in that night. Thank God I made the right choice." Carol smiled a little.

"You're hurt, Daryl," she whispered.

"But I'm here. And so are you. Grace?"

"Michonne's got her," Carol sniffled. "And there's an officer outside the house." She swallowed hard when she saw him relax a little. "I was so scared, Daryl. I thought…I thought I was going to lose you, too. I can't."

"You won't," he promised her, squeezing her hand. "I ain't goin' nowhere." Carol broke down in tears again, and she rested her head against his shoulder, helplessly clinging to him, wishing to God she could fix this mess and put all the pain behind them.

The nurse had come in and given Daryl a little more pain medicine, and it hadn't taken long for them to start working. He fell asleep around eight o'clock, and it wasn't long before Rick tapped on the door and stepped in.

"Carol?"

"Yeah?"

"You hungry?"

"I'm fine. I don't want to leave."

"Daryl's alright," he assured her. "But you need to eat somethin'. You look pale. You need something." Carol sighed and squeezed Daryl's hand. "I promise you, he's gonna be fine. I will personally escort you to the cafeteria and bring you right back."

"Why are you here?" she asked, standing up shakily. "Don't you have a family to get home to?"

"My kids are safe," he said with a little nod. "They know their dad's got a job that keeps him away sometimes, and right here's where I wanna be. I feel…partly responsible for this."

"You?" Carol asked, following him into the hallway.

"If it wasn't for procedure, I'd have put Ed back in jail the night your apartment and Daryl's house were busted into. I knew in my gut it was him, but I had no proof."

"You were just doing your job," Carol said tiredly. "You've done more to help us than most would. I appreciate that." Rick nodded a little, and they started down the hall toward the cafeteria. "I'm terrified."

"We're gonna find, him Carol. We'll keep eyes on you and on Daryl and Grace until he's caught."

"I fell in love with that man. I married that man." She swallowed hard. "Do you know how…how dirty that makes me feel?"

"Ed Peletier's a sick man, Carol, but that doesn't mean he's always been that way. You couldn't have known."

"We lost a daughter," Carol confided. "Neither of us was the same after. But…he just…he's a stranger. I slept in the same bed as that man for years, and to know he's capable of trying to kill a man, of…of trying to…" She choked back another cry, but the tears never came. She seemed to be all out of tears.

"You can't blame yourself for any of this, Carol. You have to stop. Daryl needs you." He cleared his throat. "Couple years back, me and my partner Shane were called to a liquor store. Armed robbery. We've seen it hundreds of times. I knew exactly what to do. What not to do. Everything went routine. We got the suspect on the ground, got his weapon. It was textbook." He shook his head. "But I didn't even think about the getaway car. It was parked across the street. They were waiting. We get the guy in the back of the squad car, and his buddy rolls down the window and fires two shots. One hits the car, one hits me in the ribs. Thought I was gonna die." He swallowed a lump in his throat. "My partner blamed himself, thought he shoulda had my back, but he didn't know. I didn't know. It happened. There was nothing either of us could do about it. We aren't psychic. We were trained for these kinds of situations, and it still went bad. My point is, you can worry and plan all you want, but if somebody wants to hurt you bad enough, they're gonna find a way around it."

"I hate him," Carol whispered. "Part of me hopes when you find him, he's already dead." Rick rubbed the back of his neck anxiously.

"You folks have gotta stop tellin' me stuff like this," he muttered. "I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that." Carol sighed and gave him a half-smile.

"Thank you," she said gently.

"Come on. Let's go get you something to eat, and I'll take you back to Daryl."

Carol had wanted to stay with Daryl at the hospital that night, but he'd convinced her to get back home, because he wanted to know she had Grace close. Not that he didn't trust Michonne, but he wanted Grace to have someone more familiar in case she woke up screaming, which was something Carol was good at fixing. So, by the time Rick got Carol back to Daryl's house, he stopped to speak with the officer parked outside the house before walking Carol up the steps.

"Still haven't found him, have they?" Carol asked quietly.

"Not yet, but we're hopeful," Rick offered. Carol sighed heavily as she turned the key in the lock and stepped inside. Michonne got up off the couch and hurried over to hug her friend.

"How's he doing?" Michonne asked softly.

"He's gonna be fine," Carol murmured, tears spilling over as she choked out a sob. She broke down, and Michonne hugged her tight, gently rubbing her back.

"Thank God," Michonne murmured. "Thank God." Rick cleared his throat from the doorway.

"Would you like a police escort home, ma'am?" he asked.

"No, I'll stay here tonight. Thanks though," Michonne said quietly. "I don't want her to be alone." Rick nodded.

"Alright," Rick said quietly. "You ladies need anything tonight, there's an officer right outside. 'Round midnight, somebody'll come take his place."

"Thank you. For everything," Carol murmured, moving over to give him a heartfelt hug.

"Just take care of yourself. We'll keep looking for Ed. He can't hide forever." Carol nodded and sniffled as she saw Rick out and shut the door behind her, locking and dead-bolting it.

"How's Gracie?"

"She's sleeping," Michonne said quietly. "I set up the playpen and put Andre down in it. They're both out for the night, I think. You should sleep."

"I can't sleep," Carol said softly. Michonne nodded gently. "I just need…I need to stay awake in case Daryl needs me."

"Daryl's safe. He's at the hospital, which is just where he needs to be. You're pale. Did you eat?"

"I tried to eat at the hospital. I just…I don't have much of an appetite."

"Drink some juice or something, Carol. You don't look good."

"I'm scared, Michonne. I thought…I thought I was _finally_ done with Ed, and then he…he…"

"Stop," Michonne said sternly, placing her hands on Carol's shoulders. "Don't let him win. He doesn't get to win. You and Daryl and Gracie are going to come out of this, alright? God willing, they find Ed's drunk ass passed out in a ditch somewhere, and they haul him in before he can hurt anyone else." Carol moved toward the couch and nearly collapsed against it. Her knees practically gave out, and she caught herself.

"Carol! Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," Carol said quietly, lowering herself onto the cushion. Michonne shook her head. "You're stressed out, you haven't eaten enough, you're probably dehydrated, and you look like you haven't been sleeping well. I'm going to cook you something, and you're going to eat it if I have to force you to choke it down." Carol couldn't help but crack a smile at the serious mom face Michonne was giving her. "You're going to eat, Carol Peletier, and you're not going to give me any arguments, you hear me?" Carol nodded. "Good. You wait here. I'll rustle us up some grub."

Glenn poked his head into Daryl's room sometime after breakfast. He was making his rounds visiting his patients from his private practice.

"How you feeling, man?" Glenn asked, stepping in.

"Like some asshole put a bullet in me," Daryl grunted, shifting in his hospital bed. Glenn pulled a chair up and sat down. "You heard from Carol or Michonne?"

"Michonne called a few minutes ago, said Carol was getting ready to come back to the hospital."

"She sleep any?"

"No," Glenn said quietly. "Michonne says she's making herself sick worrying." Daryl's chest heaved with the frustration of not being able to do a damned thing to comfort the woman he loved. "Hey. Hey, dude, you gotta calm down. You're gotta rupture your stitches."

"Wish everybody would stop fuckin' tellin' me to calm down," Daryl huffed.

"You pop your stitches, you're lookin' at more pain for you, possible infection, more recovery time. So just shut the fuck up and let your body heal, man," Glenn urged. Daryl glared at him for a moment before finally relaxing on the bed. "Besides, you don't wanna worry Carol anymore than she already is. The woman's been through too much. You hurt yourself more, and she's gonna freak out."

"Can you and Maggie drop in on her tonight? Make sure she's ok?"

"Maggie's already makin' dinner to take over to your place tonight. I looked at your chart though, and your doc's planning on releasing you tomorrow. If you don't fuck up your stitches." Glenn checked his phone when it beeped. "Michonne's coming with Carol. They're bringing Grace. Thought she might cheer you up." Daryl couldn't help but smile at the thought of seeing his baby girl.

A knock at the door startled them both, and Rick Grimes came walking in, clean-shaven, bright-eyed.

"Mornin', Officer," Daryl muttered. "I see you didn't lose any sleep last night."

"Just checkin' on the patient," Rick said with a shake of his head. "How are you?"

"Been better, but I ain't dead. You find him?"

"Not yet, but we're looking."

"Lookin'," Daryl scoffed. "Ain't good enough."

"We're doing _everything _short of stoppin' cars along the highway. We've got cars at your house, Carol's place, Ed's house and any place he might go."

"He ain't gonna go there. Hell, he shot me and left, probably thinks I'm dead. He could be halfway across the country by now. Or he could be bidin' his time, waitin' 'til you turn your officers loose from watchin' Carol. The second they're gone, he might… So no, you ain't doin' everything, Grimes."

"I know it's frustrating."

"Frustrating? The fuck you know about frustrating? You got a bullet in you? You got a baby and a woman at home who might have some fuckin' psycho watchin' 'em? No?"

"Daryl, he's just trying to help," Glenn offered.

"It's alright," Rick said with a shake of his head. "You've got every right to be angry." Daryl glared at him from across the room. "Just don't be stupid. Take care of yourself, get better, take care of your family. That's your job. You let me do mine."


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The second Carol walked into the hospital room, Daryl's heart sank in his chest. She looked worn out, her eyes rimmed with redness from crying and lack of sleep. Her face lit up when she saw him, but there was still pain in her eyes. He could see she was anxious, but she slipped her hand into his as soon as she reached his bed.

"I missed you," he murmured when she leaned down to kiss him. She sighed softly against his lips and nodded.

"I missed you. And so did this little lady." Carol lifted Grace out of her stroller, and the baby grunted in her sleep. Daryl reached with her, but Carol pulled back. "Be careful. Don't hurt yourself."

"Lemme hold my girl," he urged. "Put her down in this arm. This side ain't hurt." Carol chewed her lip nervously before gently placing the baby down in his arm. He snuggled her close and kissed her forehead. "Hey Gracie, girl. Papa missed you." Carol's eyes welled with tears, and Michonne stepped into the room with Andre on her hip.

"How you doing, Daryl?" she asked.

"Better now," Daryl said with a nod. Carol slipped her hand back into his, and he gave it a squeeze. "Thanks for bringing' my girls."

"Anytime," Michonne said with a sparkling smile. "Carol, I'm gonna take Andre down to the cafeteria. You want me to get you anything?"

"Stop trying to feed me, Mich," Carol chuckled. "I'm alright." Michonne rolled her eyes.

"Alright, but if I see an extra Jell-o cup lying around, it's got your name on it." Michonne turned quickly and headed down the hall. Carol sighed and sat down in the chair next to Daryl's bed.

"Glenn stopped by."

"He did?" Carol asked. "That was nice."

"And Rick. That wasn't."

"They still haven't found Ed," she murmured. He shook his head.

"I ain't gonna let him hurt you."

"Daryl, he almost killed you last night. I…I can't sleep. I just keep thinking…what if…"

"Don't. I'm still here." He gave her hand a squeeze and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. He watched as she leaned back in the chair, closing her eyes for a brief moment, seeing the exhaustion when she blinked and looked back at him. "You should go home. Get some sleep."

"I'd rather be here," Carol said tiredly, her eyes fluttering closed for longer than a blink. Daryl watched her, a marked concern creasing his brow. As much ache he had in his body, it was nothing compared to the worry he felt in his gut over Carol. She was pale. She had circles under her eyes. She was scared. She was stressed out. She wasn't eating like she should, and even Michonne couldn't get through to her.

"Are you ok?" he finally asked. She opened her eyes and stared at him for a moment.

"I'm not fine," she whispered, her voice breathy and shaky. "I'm barely holding on here, Daryl, but I'm trying." She gripped the arm of the chair. "I keep thinking how ridiculous I've been. Wanting to wait to move in. Wanting to…to put our future off for a while just to have a little 'me' time. It's the dumbest damned thing I can even think of." She shook her head. "I love you, Daryl. And I just…I just _cannot_ lose you."

"You won't," he promised her. "You won't lose me, alright?" She shook her head, but he knew she wasn't convinced. "C'mere." Carol stood and sat down on the edge of his bed. He scooted over, and she gently curled up against him, resting her head on his shoulder. He felt her shoulders trembling as he held her, and he closed his eyes, listening to the sound of her breathing, thanking his amazing luck at having found someone like her to call his. In that moment, their forever began.

Michonne sat in the cafeteria with Andre on her lap, and she looked up when she saw a pair of shiny boots step up next to her. Her gaze went from the boots to the badge to the soulful eyes to the hat on top of a head of curly brown hair.

"Officer Grimes."

"Rick, please," he said with a nod. "Mind if I sit?"

"Sure," she said slowly. "What're you doing here?"

"Staying close," he said quietly. "Dixon doesn't exactly like having me around, but I feel partly responsible for him being here."

"You're not," Michonne said quietly. "I've known Carol and Ed for a long time. Ed's…changed. The man's never acted like this before. Nobody could have predicted he'd pull a gun, let alone the trigger."

"I'm worried. About Carol. I've been in this line of work a long time, and I've seen women like her hurt or killed by men like Ed. She's lucky she broke away, but until he's in custody, she's not safe."

"You always this involved in your cases?"

"No," he said quietly, clearing his throat. "I'm a widower. My wife, well, she cheated on me, and she kept it secret. Come to find out, the guy she was with was this…this hothead. Real nasty temper. You rile him up, and he'd sooner pull a knife on you or knock you into a wall than anything else."

"Jesus," Michonne murmured.

"Lori—that's my wife—well, she finally broke down, told me about it. I forgave her, and she told me she was goin' to break it off with this guy. I didn't know anything about him at the time, but I got a call at work that day telling me Lori was in the hospital, that she was bad, that I needed to prepare myself. Turns out, this guy pulled a knife on her, stabbed her right through the heart the second she told him it was over. He was angry. He told the arresting officers over and over that he loved her and that she loved him, and that he only killed her to set her free. Free of me." Michonne watched as the man's lip trembled slightly as he spoke. "He was crazy. Like Ed's crazy. And the past few weeks, all I dream about at night is seein' my wife's body on the table at the morgue. All I see is the…the blood and what he did to her because he _loved_ her so much. I think that's the kind of crazy we're dealin' with here."

"How do you…what makes you think that?"

"The night we arrested Ed? After he broke into Carol's? After he finished hollering about being arrested, he got real calm. We were halfway to the police station, and you know what he said?"

"What?" she asked, a bit uncertain if she really wanted to hear Rick's answer.

"He said that he loved Carol too much to see her happy with somebody else. He said he loved her the way she was supposed to be loved. The way she deserved it. He was cold. He was…I shoulda known that night. I shoulda known, because that's the kind of crazy shit Lori's killer wrote to me after she died. The sick son of a bitch knows my kids' names." Michonne felt her blood run cold, and she hugged Andre to her, thanking God that she had the good fortune to have her baby safe in her arms right then.

"Are you alright?" she asked him softly.

"Most days, I think I am," he confessed. "I got two kids. Carl, he's eleven. And Judith's…Judith's about seven months."

"God…so this is…this is recent," Michonne realized.

"Yeah. Most days I try to be strong for my kids, but I'm…I'm terrified. I know the man who hurt their mama won't ever be able to hurt them, but…the fact that he knows their names, he's seen their house…it's just…it's too much. And I try not to let 'em see I'm afraid." He cleared his throat, and Michonne looked down at Andre, kissing the top of his head. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm telling you all this."

"Please," Michonne said with a little smile, "people tell me everything. I've got a way of getting people to open up, and some days, I don't know how I do it. I must have one of those faces people think they can trust."

"Can I trust you?" Rick asked, a half-smile pulling at his lips. Michonne felt her heart begin to pound in her chest, and she stood quickly.

"I should get back and check on Carol," she said quietly. "I'm really sorry for your loss."

"Thanks for listening," he said quietly. "It felt good to just…talk to somebody." Michonne held Andre close and gave Rick a little smile. She felt a little unbalanced, a little uncertain. She wasn't used to feeling this way. She'd sensed something when he'd looked at her just then, some kind of attraction, some kind of understanding. Her heart hurt for this stranger, and she wasn't certain why she felt like she was about to cry. Sad stories never had much of an effect on her, unless they hit close to home, and for some reason, his story had gotten to her.

She cleared her throat, deciding it was simply because of what was happening to her friends, and she hurried off to join them again, leaving behind the officer with the gentle smile and the kind eyes.

Daryl fell asleep after the nurse came in with more pain meds. Daryl had given the nurse permission to speak with Carol, telling her she was his fiancée, though that wasn't exactly the truth. But the nurse had told Carol that Daryl would probably be sent home the following day so long as he was infection and fever free, which he seemed to be for now.

After he'd fallen asleep, Carol had gotten up to head down to the cafeteria with Grace. She pushed her in the stroller, and the baby fell asleep quickly. About halfway down the hall, Carol ran into Michonne, who looked a bit flushed.

"Mich, you ok?" Carol asked softly.

"I was just coming to check on you," her friend responded, glancing over her shoulder.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"No," Michonne said softly, a little smile curling at her lips.

"What?"

"No, it's nothing," she said with a shrug.

"It's not. I know that smile."

"Shut up," Michonne said with a grin. At that moment, Rick came walking up, and Michonne blushed a little more. She shifted Andre on her hip and attempted to look casual. Carol narrowed her eyes at her friend briefly and then turned to Rick.

"Daryl's sleeping," Carol announced. "He'll be out for a while. I think I'm going to go home and rest. I hate to leave him, but…"

"But he told you to go, and you know you should, because a hospital is no place for Grace to be today," Michonne interrupted.

"Exactly," Carol said with a little smirk. "Mich, you want to follow me home?"

"Sure. Andre and I can hang out for a while. I'm taking him to his grandma's later."

"Great," Carol said with a nod. "Rick, thanks for everything. I'm sure Daryl's not exactly been…"

"Daryl doesn't bother me," Rick said with a little shrug. "I get it. He's angry. He feels powerless. I'd be pissed off too." Carol nodded shortly and she cleared her throat.

"Call me if you learn anything about Ed. I want to know when he's off the streets. Maybe then I can breathe again."

"I will. You take care of yourself, Carol." Rick glanced at Michonne and nodded to her, their eyes locking for a few moments before he walked away.

"What was that about?" Carol whispered.

"Nothing," Michonne said with a shrug. "I don't know what you're talking about." Carol watched as Michonne walked ahead, and she just shook her head. Yeah, something was definitely up, and sooner or later, Michonne would talk about it. If Carol knew her best friend like she thought she did, it would take a bottle of wine and a good romantic comedy, but for now, she accepted that Michonne wanted to keep whatever it was all to herself.

As Carol turned to follow her, she felt a warmth spread over the back of her neck, and she gasped loud enough for Michonne to turn. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, as Carol felt head swim and her knees buckle under her. She let go of the stroller as her vision blurred, and before she hit the floor, everything went black.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Carol woke up, squinting at the bright lights overhead. She felt a pinch in her arm, and she groaned, looking down to find a needle taped to her arm, sticking right into her vein. Her stomach turned. She hated needles.

"Hey," came his gruff but pleasant voice. She moaned softly and blinked into the light, turning her head toward the voice. Her vision was blurry for a moment, but the more she focused, the more his deep blue eyes and stubble-covered face came into focus. "Welcome back."

"What happened?" she murmured, raising her hand to her forehead, a dull ache throbbing at her temple.

"You fainted," he said quietly, his fingers curling around hers. "Glenn says you're dehydrated and sufferin' from exhaustion."

"Oh," she said weakly. She heard Grace coo nearby, and she gasped, sitting up quickly, only for the room to start spinning. She lay back down.

"Grace's fine," he assured her. "You're gonna be fine. You got a bump on the head and an IV in ya, but you're gonna be alright." He sighed softly and leaned in, kissing her forehead. "You scared the hell outta me."

"We gotta stop doing that to each other, huh?" Carol asked with a tired smile. He chuckled and kissed her lips softly.

"Love you so damn much," he muttered.

"Me too," she breathed. "What're you doing out of bed?"

"Glenn figured if I'm goin' home tomorrow, it shouldn't hurt me to sit up a little bit. Wanted to be with ya." Carol smiled a little and reached up to stroke his face, her fingers lingering over his scratchy chin. "Yeah, I know I need a shave."

"No, I like it," she grinned. A knock on the door had Carol and Daryl both turning their attention to Michonne, who walked in with her hands on her hips.

"Thank God you're awake. Now I can yell at you for scaring the shit out of me." Michonne moved to cross the room and give Carol a very gentle hug. "You look better. Whatever they're putting in your IV is working."

"I feel better."

"Well, you should. You weren't eating or drinking enough before. You have to take care of yourself."

"That's what I was about to get started on," Daryl agreed with a nod. "You been too worried 'bout takin' care of everybody else, you ain't been takin' care'a yerself."

"I'll be alright," she said softly. "I just want to get you home so we're all back together under one roof." Daryl eyed her for a moment, a grin spreading over his face. "What?"

"Does this mean you're waiving that whole six month thing?" he asked. Carol bit her lower lip and sighed. "Or are you gonna make me wait for the next four months?"

"I think I'm tired of waiting," she murmured, stroking his face again as Michonne sat down in a chair on the opposite side of the bed, taking Grace out of her stroller and cradling her close. "I just want us to be a family. I don't want to waste another second." Daryl leaned forward and kissed her again.

"Don't tire out the patient, now," Michonne pointed out. "She needs to sleep. She needs lots of sleep. Come to think of it, so do you." Michonne looked down at Grace, who was staring up at her with such intense fascination. "You're going to have to take really good care of them, Gracie. Your daddy is stubborn as a mule and, well, Carol is too. Good luck to you, sweet pea. Just remember, you can always come see Auntie 'Chonne."

Carol was quiet on the car ride home the next day. She was in the passenger's seat, while Daryl was stretched out on the back seat, trying to stay comfortable as the car bumped along the street. Michonne eyed Carol from the driver's seat.

"You're quiet," Michonne said softly. "Everything ok?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine," Carol assured her. "Just tired."

"When I get you two home, you're both going to bed. To _sleep_. And I'm going to make arrangements for Andre to stay at his grandma's. I'll take care of Gracie, and you two don't have to lift a finger, ok?"

"Sounds good," Daryl murmured, leaning over Grace's car seat to tickle her tummy. The baby giggled, and he smiled down at her. "Right Grace?" Carol turned in her seat to watch Daryl with Grace, and her heart could have melted from the warmth that spread through her. She had her best friend. She had the man of her dreams. She had this beautiful little baby that she never expected in her life. She was happy, despite all the bad and the frightening things that had happened, she was happy, because she felt like a part of a family again. She _was_ a part of a family again.

When Michonne pulled up outside of Daryl's, she was the first out of the car. She took Grace out of the car, while Carol got out and let Daryl lean on her as they walked up to the house. It felt good to be home, Carol realized, and it felt good to know that this was going to be her home from now on.

"If I didn't have a bullet hole in me, I'd carry ya over the threshold," he offered. Carol chuckled and shook her head.

"We're not married."

"Don't matter. This is our home now." He gave her arm a squeeze, and when Michonne unlocked the door, they all piled in together, greeted by an impatient Cherokee, who barked his happiness at their return.

"Hey boy," Carol said with a smile. He licked her hand when she leaned down to pet him.

"Alright, the dog can go with you, but you're both going to bed. Right now. Scoot. Go on. Don't make me have to come after you."

"She means what she says," Carol said with a shrug. She and Daryl headed off toward the bedroom with Cherokee right at their heels.

Carol stared up at the ceiling as she lay in Daryl's bed. He was so exhausted he had fallen asleep almost as soon as he'd lay down, but she had too much on her mind. Her stomach was a bundle of nerves, and Cherokee lifted his head from time to time, as if sensing her anxiety.

"What're you looking at?" she asked him, glancing down at the foot of the bed, where he lay with his ears perked up and his head cocked to the side. "Don't worry, Cherokee. Everything's alright." The dog eyed her for a moment and slowly lowered his head.

She sighed and folded her arms behind her head on the pillow and took a few shaky breaths. She hadn't had much time to process anything, given she was still in a little bit of shock. But she was happy to be home with him, whatever happened next.

_"Carol? How you feeling?" Glenn asked as he stepped into the room looking all professional in his white coat with a stethoscope around his neck. Carol smiled weakly and shrugged her shoulders._

_"Fantastic," she muttered with a little eye roll. "Can I go home?"_

_"Yeah, you can go home this afternoon," he promised. "But I wanted to talk to you about something first." _

_"Okay," Carol said quietly. Glenn sat down on the chair next to her bed, and she suddenly felt very anxious. She swallowed hard and sat up a little, feeling so very tired. "Glenn, what's wrong?" _

_"Well, we ordered a series of tests yesterday, and…you're a little anemic," he pointed out._

_"Oh, that's…Jesus, you scared me for a second," she pointed out. "So I take iron. No big deal."_

_"Well, it's not…it's not just that. Carol, I have to tell you something, and you have to promise me you're not going to freak out."_

_"Well, your bedside manner isn't helping me here. What am I not supposed to freak out about, Glenn?" Glenn cleared his throat and swallowed hard._

_"You're pregnant." She stared at him as if the words were spoken in another language. "Carol?"_

_"I'm sorry, what?"_

_"I said you're pregnant." Carol snorted a little laugh and shook her head. _

_"Okay, thanks for that. Now tell me what's really wrong."_

_"No, seriously, Carol. You're pregnant." He watched the color drain from her face. "But I have to tell you…and I wanted to tell you now…your hormone levels are on the low side."_

_"Okay," she said quietly. "What does that mean?" Glenn looked down, and Carol felt her heart sink in her chest._

_"It could mean nothing. It could also mean—and we'd have to do a series of tests—that you could be losing the baby." Carol gripped the side of the bed and sat up a little._

_"So you're telling me that I'm pregnant and losing the baby."_

_"Not necessarily," Glenn said quietly. "Like I said, we have to run a series of tests, but it could be the case. And given your age, and…"_

_"Yeah, I get it," Carol murmured. "I'm too old to have this baby."_

_"That's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying that your situation is a little high risk. Believe me, I've seen plenty of moms your age and older have healthy babies." Carol sighed and leaned back on the bed, closing her eyes. "I don't want to give you false hope, but I don't want to scare you, either."_

_"So basically, you're saying not to get too attached to this pregnancy." Glenn looked down. "Glenn Rhee, you might be my boss, and you might be my doctor, but you're also my friend, so you look me in the eye and you tell me."_

_"Yeah, Carol," he said softly. "That's what I'm saying." Carol felt like somebody cut off her air supply in that moment, and she bit back a sob and willed the tears not to fall. She'd been through worse. She could survive this. She just had to be strong._

She watched him, a little smile crossing her lips as she thought about what an amazing father he was to Grace. This baby she was carrying might not get the chance to be a part of their lives, but she already loved it. She was terrified of bringing another life into the world, and she was terrified of losing that life the way she lost Sophia. But she found herself gently caressing her belly and thinking about how amazing it would be to have this child. Her child. Daryl's child. Their baby.

She felt the tears in her eyes, and she blinked them away, willing herself to stay strong and focus on the here and now. Daryl needed her, and she needed him, and they had the rest of their lives to sort out whatever else came or didn't come their way.

Daryl shifted in the bed, and his eyes fluttered open. He hadn't expected to see Carol laying there staring at him, but when he saw her, a smile quirked up in the corner of his mouth.

"What?" he asked, his voice gravely from sleep. She shrugged her shoulder and caressed his cheek.

"Nothing," she whispered, leaning in to kiss him softly. "I just love you. That's all."

"Love you," he murmured, gently running his hand down her shoulder. "Glad you're here."

"Me too," she whispered. "Me too."


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Two weeks later, Carol was at the doctor's office, and she was nervous. After several separate blood tests, a pelvic exam and an ultrasound, she was sitting in the office of her new OB doctor. Baby Gracie had slept in her car seat through the entire visit and was now nestled in Carol's arms.

Dr. Simpson came walking in with her white coat and her charts in hand. Carol immediately tensed as the doctor closed the door and moved to sit behind her desk.

"I don't normally have patients meet me in my office," she started, "but I could tell you're anxious, and I'm sure you've got a lot of worries on your mind."

"It's been a long time since I've been pregnant. I just…I'm a little scared." Dr. Simpson looked at the baby in Carol's arms. "Oh, she's not…she's…my step-daughter." It was easier to explain that way.

"Ah, I see, well, she looks very comfortable with you." Dr. Simpson seemed warm and kind, and that made Carol feel a little better. Despite the fact that she worked in a doctor's office, the idea of actually going to the doctor always made her a little jumpy.

"Can you just…am I going to lose my baby?" Carol asked quickly. "I just…I need to prepare myself if it's not good, and…"

"Actually, your hormone levels are on the rise," the doctor said with a little smile, overlooking the charts.

"That's…good?"

"That's great," the doctor said with a smile. "I'd say you're about six weeks, and your levels are far better than they were when Dr. Rhee spoke to you at the hospital. You were exhausted and dehydrated, and that could have affected your test results."

"So…I'm not losing the baby?" Carol asked softly, a little awestruck. She'd been mentally preparing herself all morning for horrible news, and she certainly wasn't expecting the exact opposite.

"Carol, so far, everything seems to be progressing wonderfully. In fact, and it's a little early, I saw what appeared to be two egg sacs on the ultrasound."

"Excuse me?" Carol asked, face paling. "You're…no. You're joking."

"I don't make it a point to joke about this kind of thing," Dr. Simpson pointed out. "Now, Carol, you're healthy, you're over forty, and after forty, your chances for conceiving decrease, but your chances of conceiving multiples in the event conception occurs actually increases because of your FSH levels and..."

"I don't…twins?" Carol interrupted.

"Yes," the doctor said with a smile. "Like I said, it's very early, but I counted two embryos during the ultrasound." She pushed a small photo across the desk toward Carol. Carol glanced at the doctor before picking up the photo delicately between her fingers. She was never very good at figuring out what was what on these photos back when she was pregnant with Sophia. The doctor leaned across and pointed at both sacs. "That's baby A. That's baby B. It's definitely twins."

"This is…oh my God," Carol murmured, covering her mouth with her hand. "I was on birth control before I found out. Could that…I mean…did I hurt them?"

"I wouldn't worry. You'd be amazed how many people come to me on birth control and find out they're pregnant. Just don't take them anymore, and try not to worry." She saw the fear still very clear in Carol's eyes. "You are definitely high risk, but I can assure you that I've delivered many healthy babies at full term to women older than you, even women in their fifties. Please don't worry. As far as I can tell, you are very healthy. We will monitor you closely, but I truly believe you will have a successful pregnancy.

Carol sniffled, feeling the fear still gripping her heart. She didn't honestly know what to think or feel or say, and she struggled with the words that came out next. "I don't…I was afraid I was losing _one_ baby, and now you're telling me…I'm having _two?!" _The doctor gave her a knowing smile and nodded her head.

"Congratulations, Ms. Peletier."

The ride home from the doctor was a bit of a blur. Before Carol knew it, she was pulling up outside the house, getting Gracie out of the car seat and heading up to the front door. Daryl opened the door before she could even get her key up to the door. He paused when he saw no groceries to help carry in.

"Thought you were goin' to the store," he murmured quizzically. Carol looked down at Gracie and smiled sheepishly when she turned her attention back to Daryl.

"Oh," she said absentmindedly. "I guess I forgot." Daryl's eyes narrowed.

"You forgot?"

"We just took a little ride, didn't we Gracie Girl?" She handed the baby over to Daryl and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Carol, you sure you're ok? Ya look pale."

"Oh, I'm fine," she assured him. "Just fine. I think I'll take a little nap though." Daryl watched as Carol headed into the back of the house. Daryl rocked Grace gently in his arms.

"You got any idea what that was all about, Gracie?" he asked, getting a grunt in response from her. "Yeah, me neither." He kissed her forehead and took her to her nursery to put her down for a nap. When he reached their bedroom, he found Carol sprawled out on the bed, one hand over her eyes, one over her chest.

"You alright?" he asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Just tired," she said softly. "How are you? Did you talk to your boss?"

"Yeah," he muttered. "Goin' back to work next week."

"Good," she said softly, rubbing his back. "That's good." Daryl lay back on the bed with her, and she turned to face him.

"You sure you're ok?"

"Yeah," she said softly, swallowing hard and trying not to let the tears fill her eyes. She was better than ok. She felt wonderful. The thought that she was pregnant and having their child filled her with more joy than she could ever have imagined. But she was terrified at the same time. She was terrified, because Glenn had seemed so concerned when he'd told her the news. Terrified because she'd already lost Sophia, and she couldn't bear the idea of losing another child the way she lost her little girl.

"You look upset," he said softly, stroking her back.

"I'm not," she said softly. "I'm…we've been through so much. I just…I'm trying to…to figure out how to…" She shook her head. "I'm sorry." She put her hand over her face and began to cry.

"Hey. Hey, it's alright," he soothed her, pulling her close and gently rubbing her back. "It's about Ed?"

"No," she cried, though now her worries increased tenfold. She not only had to worry about somehow bringing two babies into this world, but she had to bring them into a world where Ed Peletier existed and was currently in hiding after having shot Daryl. He didn't know what to do for her, so he just held her and rubbed her back and hoped that she'd talk to him about whatever was bothering her when she was ready.

She cried against his shoulder, and he held her until she fell asleep.

Michonne woke abruptly from her nap much later than she intended to. She'd only meant to sleep for as long as Andre was sleeping, and she scrambled out of bed with alarm realizing that he could have gotten out of his room and hurt himself somehow while she was sleeping.

But when she reached his room, he was sitting on the floor playing with his toys. He grinned up at her and waved his chubby fingers.

"Hi Mama," he said with a grin.

"Hi baby," Michonne said with a smile, leaning against the door frame, her heart melting at the sight of her sweet boy. "You being good?" He nodded his head.

"Pay cars," he said with a smile, making noises as he ran his cars along the carpet and up the walls.

"Yeah. Yeah. Play cars, buddy," she chuckled. "Mama's going to the kitchen, ok? You want some milk?"

"Yeah!" Andre cheered. "Chokat."

"Okay," she laughed. "Coming right up." She padded down the hall to the kitchen, but just before she could open up the refrigerator, she realized the back door was slightly ajar. She gasped at the sound of footsteps behind her, and the scent of bourbon hit her like a ton of bricks. She turned quickly, coming face to face with a bleary-eyed Ed Peletier. She froze in place, unable to scream or cry or anything.

"Michonne," he drawled. "How you been?" Her heart hammered against her ribs, her mind racing as she worried about her little boy in the next room. "How's that little guy of yours?"

"Fine. Fine, Ed." She backed up as he started walking toward her. She swallowed hard, glancing over her shoulder, wondering if she could spot something she'd be able to use as a weapon. "What're you doing here, Ed?"

"I need your help with somethin'."

"Okay, sure. Sure, Ed. I'll help you."

"I need to talk to Carol. See, she's real messed up. She's shacking up with this loser who ain't worth shit. He…he don't know her like I do. He don't love her like I do."

"Alright, Ed. I can talk to her. I can…" She backed up against the counter, and Ed pressed up against her.

"She's mine, Michonne. She ain't his."

"That's…okay, Ed. We'll talk to her. Do you…do you want me to call her?"

"No. No. You…you get her to come over. Tell her you need to talk to her. Just get her here, and I'll do the rest." Michonne's hands shook as she reached for her cell phone on the charger.

"Ed," Michonne murmured, trying to keep eye contact with him, "where've you been?"

"Ah, I had to leave town," he muttered. "Stayed with an old poker buddy a'mine."

"Carol…Carol told me that you and Daryl had a problem?"

"He's got her thinkin' he's some knight in shining armor. I'm her husband. Don't care what no court says. She's mine."

"Okay, Ed," Michonne said with a nod, scrolling through her contacts quickly and finding Rick Grimes' number. She pushed send, keeping her eyes on Ed the entire time.

"Hello?" Rick asked, answering the phone. "Michonne?"

"Carol, hey," Michonne said shakily, "it's me. Yeah."

"What's going on?" Rick asked, his voice low and worried.

"No. No, nothing like that. Hey, Carol, can you come over for a little bit? Yeah, I need a friend to talk to, and I'm just…I'm just freaking out, you know? About Mike and everything."

"Shit, who's there? Is it Ed?" he asked. She could hear him typing furiously on his computer.

"Yeah, that'd be great. I'll see you soon, alright, Carol?"

"I've got your address. I'm coming," Rick promised.

"Okay! See you in a few." Michonne hung up, and Ed narrowed his eyes at her.

"You really think she'll come?"

"Sure. Sure, Carol's a good friend. She'll be here." Her eyes darted toward the hall where she could hear Andre's cars clinking together as he played. She said a silent prayer that Ed wouldn't notice, and she cleared her throat, moving out from the counter, putting some distance between the two of them.

"You hungry, Ed?"

"No," he muttered, sitting down at the kitchen table, pulling something out from the back of his pants. A gun. Her heart raced a little faster.

"Ed? What…what're you doing?"

"I don't think I killed him," Ed said quietly. "I shot him and ran. I just…I should have finished the job." He scratched his temple with the barrel of the gun. Michonne shuddered and closed her hand around the handle of a kitchen knife, keeping it tucked behind her back so he wouldn't see.

"Mama!" Andre called, hurrying down the hall. Michonne felt her façade break for a moment.

"Andre, baby, stay in your room!" she called, but it was too late. Andre halted as soon as he stepped into the kitchen, his eyes going from his mother to the stranger at the kitchen table.

"Mama, who that?" Andre asked. Ed turned in his seat to see the little boy standing there in his pajamas and clutching a toy car.

"That's Andre?" Ed asked, his words slurring a little more heavily. Michonne gasped when Ed got up from the chair and reached for Andre with one arm, his other hand still gripping the pistol. "Well look at you, boy! You was just a baby last I saw you." Michonne gripped the knife, her eyes wide and wild as Ed lumbered about the kitchen with one arm around Andre. Andre fussed, pushing back against Ed's chest, trying to squirm out of his hold.

"Mama," Andre cried.

"Oh, c'mon, don't you remember your 'ole Uncle Ed?"

"Ed, stop, he's been…he's been sick," Michonne murmured, trying not to sound too frightened as her son began to cry.

"I ain't gonna hurt the little fella. I just wanna…it's been a long time since I held a little guy like this. I miss when Sophia was this small. She was…" His voice broke. "I miss my girl." Ed stumbled and nearly fell into the wall. Michonne let out a sob.

"Put him down, Ed. Please." Tears were in her eyes now as Andre began to scream. "Please, just put him down." Ed glared at her. The gun trembled in his hand, and Michonne brought the knife out from behind her back. "You're scaring him, Ed."

"I…" He watched the light glint off the steel blade and looked at Andre.

"I wouldn't…I wouldn't hurt…"

"Just put him down!" Michonne barked, as Andre's cries became louder. Ed dropped the gun in his stupor, and Michonne acted quickly, sliding it under the table with her foot. She took a step closer to Ed, knife in hand.

"Put my son down. Now." Her hand was shaking as she looked into Ed Peletier's eyes. The color drained from his face, and he put Andre down. The little boy ran to his mother, hugging her leg as bit tears rolled down his chubby cheeks. "It's alright, baby. It's alright." Andre sniffled and wiped his nose but kept a tight hold on his mother's pant leg. "Sit down, Ed. On the floor." Ed did as he was told.

"She's not coming," Ed murmured. "You didn't call her."

"The police are on their way," Michonne bit out. "You won't hurt her anymore, do you hear me?" She narrowed her eyes and crouched down to look at him, knife still in hand. She lowered her voice to just a whisper. "You're lucky I don't put this through your heart for what you did, but that would just take me away from my son, and I won't let you hurt him." She pulled Andre into her free arm and hoisted him up on her hip. "I hope you burn in hell, Ed Peletier."

She heard the front door slam open.

"In the kitchen!" Michonne called out. Rick rushed in, gun drawn, and he watched Michonne put down the knife and hug her son close, tears streaming down her face.

"Ed Peletier, you're under arrest for the attempted murder of Daryl Dixon." He read him his rights, kneeling down on the floor to cuff him as he spoke. When he hoisted him to his feet, Michonne nodded toward the table.

"His gun. I'm willing to bet it's the same one that shot Daryl." Rick grabbed a handkerchief out of his back pocket and picked it up.

"You ok?"

"I'm fine. Just get that son of a bitch out of my house."

Carol and Daryl both woke when Carol's cell phone began to ring. She rolled over out of his embrace to grab her phone.

"Hello?" she answered tiredly.

"Carol? This is Rick Grimes."

"Rick?" she asked, sitting up. Daryl sat up quickly, feeling a slight pull at his tender side. He placed his hand over the scar that was starting to form, and he sat up next to Carol.

"Carol, I just wanted to tell you that we have Ed in custody, and he's being booked at the station right now."

"Oh my God," Carol breathed, placing her hand on her chest. "Where was he?"

"I think you'd better come down. I have Michonne here giving a statement, and I think she's going to need a friend."

"What?!"

"He broke into her home while she was taking a nap. Her son was there."

"He did what?!"

"They're alright. They're both alright, just a little shaken up, but she could use a friend."

"Of course. I'll…I'll be right there. We're on our way." Carol hung up and turned to look at Daryl.

"What happened?" he asked, gently gripping her shoulder.

"They have Ed. He's…he's being booked at the station. He broke into Michonne's house while she was there with Andre."

"Jesus," he murmured. "They ok?"

"They're alright. We need to get down there, Daryl."

"'Course," he said with a nod. "I'll call Beth, see if she can come watch Gracie for us." Carol nodded, and she got up and felt a little dizzy, her knees giving out bringing her right back down on the bed. He put his hands on her arms. "Hey. Hey. You ok?"

"I'm fine. Just a little nervous," she admitted.

"You wait here. I'll call Beth. Just wait here." His voice and his eyes were filled with concern, and he kissed her cheek so gently. Carol watched him walk away and put her hand against her stomach, feeling the hot tears—tears of worry and of relief—stinging her eyes.

She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths and stood, hoping she had enough strength to get through this thing. Ed was caught, and while she felt like a weight had lifted, she knew she was about to see him again, and the thought of it was more terrifying than she'd ever thought possible.

_Author's Note: I want to thank everybody who has hung in there with me through this story! I really appreciate your support and your encouraging feedback!_


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"You don't gotta do this," Daryl murmured as he squeezed her hand. They were walking up the steps to the police station, and Carol was trembling.

"I need to see him. Even if I can't speak to him, I need to see him." She sighed. "I don't expect you to understand. I just need to see him. I need to see for myself that they've got him and know that he's not going to hurt our family again."

"A'right," he said gently. "I'm here."

"Thank you," she murmured. She gave his hand a little squeeze before they headed into the station. Michonne was out in the hall holding a sleeping Andre, and as soon as she spotted Carol, she went rushing over. Daryl took Andre and held him close while the two women embraced. Carol felt the tears begin to fall, and when she felt Michonne's shoulders shake against hers, she sniffled and pulled back.

"I'm glad you're here," Michonne murmured, wiping at her eyes.

"Hey, are you ok?"

"Yeah," Michonne promised. "I'm just…I can't believe it."

"Andre's alright?" Carol asked, gently stroking the baby's hair.

"Yeah. He was scared, but I think he's ok. He sat on my lap and played while I gave my statement. I think he's going to be fine. I'm not so sure about me though."

"I'm so sorry, Mich," Carol murmured. "I feel responsible for this."

"Shut up," Michonne said quickly. "You didn't do this. Carol, Ed's crazy. I mean, the things he was saying, the look in his eyes…it was more than just liquor talking. He was crazy." Carol looked over Michonne's shoulder to see Rick's partner, Shane, leading Ed out of the interrogation room.

"Ed," Carol murmured, as Daryl gripped her hand tightly. Michonne turned and looked straight at the man who had broken into her home. Carol took a step forward.

"No," Michonne murmured.

"It's ok," Carol said softly. She felt Daryl tug on her hand a little, and she turned to him. "It's ok. I have to do this." He let go of her, watching her walk toward Ed and Shane, and he wanted to go after her, tell her she never had to see the man again, but he found himself frozen in place.

"Carol," Ed called out. Shane shook his head, holding a hand up as Carol approached.

"Ma'am, you really shouldn't be here. I'm taking him to a holding cell, and…"

"I don't really care," she started. "I have something to say, and I'm going to say it." She stepped closer, keeping a good distance between her and Ed, but getting close enough that he'd be able to hear her.

"Carol, honey—"

"I don't know who you are," she spat. "The Ed I married doesn't exist anymore. The Ed I married was the Ed that gave me that beautiful baby girl." She placed her hand on her stomach. "He changed after she was born, but I still saw him. I still recognized him. And when our baby girl died? I think he died right along with her." The tears that were welling in her eyes began to spill over. "I met Daryl, and I realized that I wasn't letting myself live. I wasn't letting myself be happy. I was holding on to a life that didn't exist anymore. When I let go, I realized I could still be happy. I'm happy now. You've tried to hurt me. Daryl. Even Michonne. You've tried to hurt me for hurting you, and the Ed I married wouldn't have done that. I don't know what happened to you. I don't. And I'm sorry you're hurting and that you can't let go. I'm moving on. I moved on a long time ago. I will _never_ stop loving Sophia. I will never regret having her, because she was the best thing I ever did with my life. She's gone, but I'm not. I just wanted you to know, Ed." She turned to look at Michonne and Daryl and Andre, and she thought about that beautiful little girl at home and those two lives she carried inside, and she sighed, turning back to Ed. "I hope you pay for what you did. I hope you get the help you need. And I _never_ want to see your face again."

Ed, seemingly rendered speechless, opened and shut his mouth a couple times after Carol turned away from him. She made her way back to Daryl and Michonne and felt, for the first time in a long while, like everything was truly going to be alright.

Carol and Daryl had brought Michonne and Andre home with them. Despite the fact that Ed was behind bars, they didn't want her to go back to that house alone tonight. Rick had offered to escort her home, but Daryl had assured him that they'd make sure she was alright.

Daryl had set up the playpen for Andre to sleep in, and the little guy was out like a light as soon as they got home. Carol and Michonne sat in the living room talking while Daryl gave Gracie a bath.

"You sure you're ok?"

"I'm better now," Michonne said with a slight smile. "Thanks for bringing me home with you. I really didn't want to go back there tonight."

"I'm so sorry Ed did this to you," Carol whispered.

"The bright side is that he's in jail now, and hopefully he'll be locked up for a long time. How do you feel?"

"What?" Carol asked, a bit caught off guard that Michonne would ask her after everything that had happened today.

"You said what you needed to say to Ed. That's over. How do you feel?"

"Anxious," Carol admitted. "Ready to move on." She shrugged slightly. She put her hand on her chest. "You know, I'm moving in with Daryl, and I feel ready. I feel like this is what I'm supposed to do. I'm happy, Mich."

"I'm happy for you," Michonne said softly. "You deserve happy. You deserve Daryl. He's the one for you."

"Yeah, I think I figured that out a long time ago. I just…how we started out…"

"That doesn't mean a damned thing. You were married to the wrong man. You were in a bad situation. But you still found the person you're meant to be with, and in retrospect, you did the best thing you could do for yourself." Carol nodded slowly.

"You know, I just…I feel like I've known him forever."

"That's what you want," Michonne said with a smile. "With Mike…I mean, I loved him, but I think I knew it wasn't going to go anywhere. But you and Daryl? Yeah, that's it right there. That's…that's what I want."

"You'll get that."

"Maybe," Michonne said with a shrug. "Right now, I don't really care one way or the other. I've got Andre, and he's the most important man in my light right now."

"C'mon, you might wanna give him a little brother or sister someday," Carol offered.

"Maybe. But like I said, right now, I'm ok." Michonne leaned back against the couch, and Carol got up.

"I'm going to help Daryl put Gracie to bed. You need anything?"

"Nope. Thanks, Carol."

"Anytime," Carol murmured. Michonne reached out, and Carol took her hand, giving it a little squeeze before heading off to help Daryl put Gracie down.

She was surprised to see that the nursery was dark, and Daryl was already laying in bed wearing nothing but his boxers. She smiled a little, stepping inside and closing the door behind her.

"She's sleeping?"

"Like a rock. How's Michonne?"

"She's good. I think she'll be ok. Now that Ed's in jail, we can all breathe." She slipped out of her clothes and into one of Daryl's t-shirts. She crawled into bed and cuddled up against him. He stroked her hair and kissed her softly.

"Daryl?" she asked quietly after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah?"

"Do you miss your brother?"

"Merle?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah. I mean, he's your brother. You grew up together. He's the only family you've got."

"I got you. I got Grace."

"You know what I mean," she said pointedly, gently stroking his chest. Daryl sighed and shrugged.

"Sure, I miss him. But I told ya before, I don't want him 'round Gracie if he's still usin' and dealin'. She don't need to see that."

"No, you're right, she doesn't," Carol said gently. She swallowed hard, trying to figure out the best way to tell him about the pregnancy. She'd thought maybe bringing up the subject of Merle and siblings might be a good way, but now she knew better.

Honestly, maybe there was no perfect way, but she didn't want to just blurt it out. She wanted it to be special and memorable. Though, she didn't get special and memorable. She got passing out at the hospital and Glenn telling her she was pregnant but might be losing the baby. She got a doctor telling her she had two sacs and two embryos. Yeah, that wasn't a moonlight and candles kind of special, but she sure as hell would never forget it.

"You sure you're ok?" Daryl asked gently, rubbing her shoulder.

"Yeah," she sighed. "I'm fine. I promise." She gave him her best 'everything's fine' smile and moaned softly against his lips when he dipped down to kiss her.

Carol woke sometime in the middle of the night to the sound of Grace fussing on the baby monitor. She peeked over to see Daryl completely knocked out, his head half-buried under the pillow. She grinned at the sight and slinked down the hallway to the nursery. The wall clock said it was three in the morning, and Carol yawned as she leaned over the crib.

"Gracie, I thought we were done with this three o'clock in the morning stuff." Grace fussed and kicked her legs, and Carol reached down to pick her up. "Alright, little miss. Come here." She carried the baby across the room and sat down in the rocking chair. She held Grace against her chest, and the baby yawned and cooed as she rested her little head on Carol's shoulder.

"You're gonna be a big sister, Gracie," she said softly, kissing the baby's soft hair and stroking her back. "I can hardly believe it myself. Your daddy doesn't know yet." She watched as Cherokee made his way into the room. He looked at Carol for a moment before settling down beside Grace's crib. "I hope you know I love you, Gracie. I love you like my own little girl. I know I'm not your real mama, but when you get older, if you want to call me mama, I'd be ok with that." She sighed softly. "You feel like mine. In my heart, you are mine." Grace cooed and blinked sleepily, fighting a losing battle.

Carol stood and placed Grace back in the crib. The little one whimpered for a moment, but Carol gently rubbed her tummy, and she fell back to sleep. When the baby was sleeping soundly once more, Carol disappeared down the hall and rummaged through her overnight bag in the dark. Inside, she found Sophia's favorite stuffed bunny rabbit.

She considered the item for a moment, remembering how attached Sophia had been to it. She clutched it to her chest and smiled, remembering the day she'd given it to her. When she opened her eyes again, she turned and carried the bunny down to Grace's nursery and tucked it into the crib next to the baby.

"I want you to have this. I don't think Sophia would mind. She loved it so much, and I know you will, too." She took a deep breath and blinked back a few tears. "I love you, Gracie."


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Seven weeks. Carol perused a website on twin pregnancies. Increased appetite, check. Tiredness, check. Increased need to pee, check. Nausea, double check. Heartburn, check. Yeah, there was no denying it. She'd managed to hold onto her news for a whole week without telling Daryl. She felt bad keeping it from him, but she just couldn't figure out a way to simply say 'by the way, I'm pregnant. Oh, and we're having twins, surprise!' especially when he had a five-month-old daughter.

"You _still_ haven't told him?" Glenn asked as he stood over the counter with his arms crossed in a very doctorly manner.

"I will," Carol insisted. "I just…haven't yet."

"So you're basically waiting until the babies are born so they can tell him the news?" Carol rolled her eyes at that. "You're taking your prenatals?"

"Yes. Yes. Yes. I'm doing everything my OB has told me to do. I'm just…I can't figure out how to tell him, Glenn."

"Well you better figure it out soon, 'cause I can't keep secrets."

"You're my doctor. You have to keep it a secret."

"Technicalities," Glenn said with an eye roll. Carol chuckled and swatted his arm.

"I'll tell him. I promise."

"Good. Tell him. Tonight," Glenn urged. "It's his birthday. C'mon, it's perfect."

"How'd you know it's his birthday?" Carol laughed.

"Michonne texted me. Why aren't you having a party?"

"Because he doesn't want a party," Carol pointed out.

"Well, you're the fiancé…er…well, you're what, engaged to be engaged, right?"

"Something like that," Carol laughed.

"So what are you getting him?"

"I made a picture album," she said simply. Glenn made a face. "Oh, why am I telling you this? You men and your lack of sentimentality." She rolled her eyes at him. "It's not a present for him. It's a present for our family. It's our first family photo album. It's got pictures of us with Gracie over the last few months. There aren't a whole lot, but it's a start."

"And after you give him the girly photo album, you better give him the first-birthday-together sex."

"Glenn Rhee!" Carol snorted. "You're ridiculous." Glenn winked at her.

"You know I'm right. All men dream of that woman popping out of the cake and…"

"Say no more," Carol laughed. "But I'm not getting in a giant cake."

"Eh, just tackle him on the bed. Naked. Oh, but carefully. You know. The twins."

"Okay, stay out of my sex life," Carol said with an amused grin. Glenn shrugged and headed back to meet with his next patient. Meanwhile, Carol suddenly got a brilliant idea and made a mental note to put the finishing touches on Daryl's birthday gift as soon as she got home from work.

By the time Carol got home, she had a good hour to work with before Daryl got home from work, so she paid Beth and sent her home and then got started on working on the finishing touches for Daryl's present. When she was finished, she got Grace fed and bathed and changed before carrying her back into the living room.

"Miss Grace, today is a very special day for your daddy. It's his birthday. Now he doesn't want anybody to make a big fuss, but we love him very much, so we're going to do it anyway, right?" Grace giggled when Carol tickled her tummy. "Right, that's what I thought." She put the baby in her bouncy seat and hurried to get dressed.

She felt good. The morning sickness was mostly isolated to the morning time right now, but she was starting to get queasy around dinner time lately, so she hoped she wouldn't be feeling too bad by the time Daryl got home.

She cleaned up a little bit and then slipped into a pair of comfortable jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. She fixed her hair in the mirror and stood sideways, checking for any sign of a bump. She noticed that her stomach stuck out just a tad more than she was used to, but it was barely enough to notice, which was why he probably hadn't said anything. He probably hadn't noticed. Another week, though, and she was sure he'd suspect something was going on.

She smoothed her shirt out over her belly, and she returned to the living room. She anxiously looked at the wrapped photo album on the table, excited to present it to him now that she'd put her finishing touches on it. She smiled when she heard his truck pull up outside, and she felt butterflies begin to flutter in her stomach. Well, either it was butterflies or she was going to be sick, but when she didn't have the immediate urge to run to the bathroom, she decided they were good butterflies and opened the door to greet him.

"Happy birthday," she said with a grin, when he walked through the door with his jacket draped over his shoulder.

"Hey," he murmured, greeting her with a soft kiss. "Thanks." He eyed her.

"What?"

"Nothin'," he chuckled. "Just got off the phone with Glenn."

"Oh?" she asked nervously. "What…what'd he say?"

"He warned me that you might be popping out of a cake or somethin'," he laughed. "The hell he get that idea?"

"You know Glenn. He's…you know…Glenn." Daryl chuckled and moved to pick Grace up out of her bouncy seat. She giggled happily when Daryl pressed kisses to her chubby cheeks. "Daryl?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want cake and ice cream first, or do you want your present?"

"Does my present involve you naked?" he asked. Carol barked out a laugh and shrugged her shoulders.

"Maybe tonight after Miss Gracie goes to sleep." She winked at him. "Might save some of that ice cream for…you know." Daryl nearly choked.

"C'mon Grace, it's bedtime," he joked, starting toward the nursery.

"Daryl Dixon, you bring that baby back right now," she laughed. "Come on. Let's go have some cake." Daryl kissed her lovingly before they headed into the kitchen together.

Carol made Daryl wear a funny party hat and put one on Gracie so she could get a picture of the two of them together being silly.

"I feel like a dumbass," he muttered.

"You're adorable," she said with a grin.

"My life is complete," he said with a sigh, getting an eye roll out of Carol. She took a few more pictures before finally settling down to have a piece of cake and a dab of ice cream. They talked about their days at work and about Grace and how big she was getting. She was already attempting to get up on her hands and knees. Carol told Daryl that once Sophia started with that, it was only a matter of a few weeks before she was crawling everywhere. At that point, they started discussing baby proofing the house. When Carol mentioned getting a safety device for the toilet seat so Grace couldn't get into it when she started walking, Daryl snorted.

"What?"

"We're grown ups," he pointed out.

"Well, yeah," she laughed. "You're just now figuring that out?"

"Nah, just...when we met, it was pretty much sex, and now we're talking about baby proofing _our_ house."

"For _our_ baby," Carol said with a little smile. Daryl did a double take when she said that.

"Did you just…"

"She's ours, Daryl," Carol said softly. "I love her like my own, and you said it before. She loves me too. I feel like her mother. I know in my heart that...that she's mine." Daryl took a deep breath and reached across the table to take her hand in his.

"She's been yours since the second you saw her," he pointed out. "I saw it then, and I see it now. I couldn't ask for a better mama for my girl." Carol's heart could have melted at that moment. "From where we started, this is…"

"Not how you thought it would be?"

"It's what I hoped," he admitted, taking Carol's breath away. "I'm glad you're here. I'm glad Grace's got a mama, because I sure as hell don't think I could do this on my own."

"You could if you had to. But you don't have to." She squeezed his hand, and he brought her hand to his lips, gently kissing the knuckles. "Now can you _please_ open your presents now?"

"Presents? More'n one?"

"Oh, I think you'll be surprised by _multiple_ things this evening," she said cheekily. Daryl eyed her, not exactly sure what she was getting at, but Carol put Gracie in her high chair and disappeared into the living room. When she returned, she had three packages.

She put the three gifts down on the table, and she handed him the smallest one first.

"Would you open this?" she asked softly. He felt his cheeks grow hot. Nobody had ever really made this big of a fuss over him on his birthday, and it touched him to see how excited she was to watch him open his gifts. The first box contained a bottle of cologne. "That's what you wore the first night we met, isn't it?"

"Yeah," he chuckled. "How'd you figure that out? I ran out months ago."

"Believe me, I've spent way too much time sniffing men's fragrances at the mall," she chuckled. "So I got it right?"

"Yeah," he chuckled. "You're good. You got some heightened smell super power or somethin'?"

"Something like that," she laughed. "Open this one." Daryl did as she asked, and he opened the second one, a larger box. Inside was a new set of arrows for his crossbow. "I still won't kill Bambi's mother, but maybe this will be incentive enough for you to take me camping again so you can try these out." Daryl chuckled at that. "You might just get me to skinny dip again."

"Shoot, we don't need to go campin' for that. We'll just pitch a tent in the back yard and get a pool."

"Daryl Dixon," she laughed, "I don't think so, but nice try." He leaned across the table and kissed her.

"Thank you," he murmured. "Never much liked birthdays before, but you make 'em a lot better." Carol smiled at that and took a deep breath. "Well, we're not done. Why don't you take this last gift into the living room and open it? I'll bring Grace in, and we'll look at it together." He eyed her, wondering what it was she could have for him, but he did what she asked. Carol picked up Grace and carried her into the living room. They all settled down on the couch together, Grace playing with Carol's necklace as they relaxed on the couch.

Daryl tore off the paper to reveal a photo album with the name DIXON inscribed on the side. A little smile pulled at his lips, and he opened it to the first page. The first page was a photo taken of Daryl, probably by a nurse at the hospital, holding baby Grace for the first time.

"I hope you don't mind. You didn't have any albums here," she said softly. "I thought you might like to have a place to keep your pictures of Grace."

"No, this is…this is great. Thank you," he said softly. The first few pages were filled with pictures of Gracie in her first few weeks of life. By the time he got to the fifth page, it was a photo of Carol holding Grace."

"You didn't have any pictures of Grace's mother. I hope…I hope this is ok."

"_You're_ Grace's mother. She wants to know about her birth mom one day, I'll tell her what I know, but to me, Carol, you're it." Carol felt the tears well in her eyes, and she wiped them away. Daryl pulled her in for another kiss, and she sighed against his lips, feeling lighter than air. "Keep going." He started to deepen the kiss, and she laughed. "I meant with the pictures."

"Oh," he blushed. "Sorry." She grinned and linked her arm with his as they looked at the photos together. There were pictures filled with Grace alone, Grace with Daryl, Grace with Carol, Grace with the both of them. Grace truly was a beautiful baby with dark brown hair. Her eyes seemed to look closer to Daryl's shade of blue every time Carol saw her. "I like this one." Carol glanced at the photo that he was pointing at. She smiled. It was taken a few weeks ago. They'd taken Grace to the park, and Carol had sat in the swing with Grace on her lap, holding her close and smiling into the camera. Grace was even smiling, but only because Daryl had had to do a little song and dance routine to get her to do it. Oh, what he wouldn't do for his sweet baby girl.

He flipped through several more pages filled with pictures of them together with and without Grace. There was a great one Michonne took the night they all got together for dinner at Carol's, before the alcohol was passed around, of course. Then, he got to the last filled page, and he narrowed his eyes at the picture before him. It was black and white and grainy, and it kind of looked like an alien out of a science fiction movie. Carol tensed a little, her nerves trying to get the best of her, and she bit her lower lip.

"This is…" he murmured. "What…what am I lookin' at here? This is…"

"You know what it is."

"I know what it is, I just…what…" Carol pointed to the ultrasound photograph.

"That's our baby," she said gently, pointing to one of the dark spots on the photo. She moved her finger and tapped another spot on it. "And that's our other baby." She peeked up at him, uncertain of what his reaction would be, but she noticed the way his eyes widened as he stared at the photo before him, and she gently touched his knee. "Daryl? Are you…are you ok?"

"I'm…wait a minute. You're pregnant?"

"Yeah, that's…generally how this works," Carol said softly.

"When? I mean, when'd you find out?"

"At the hospital, the morning after I passed out. Glenn told me."

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked gently, running his finger over the ultrasound image.

"I was afraid," she said softly. "I thought…I thought I was going to lose the baby. And then I went to see the OB Glenn suggested, and she…she told me that everything seemed ok. She told me that we were having twins, and I honestly didn't know what to say to you."

"You…you're having a baby," he murmured.

"Two babies, yeah," she said, a little smile tugging at her lips as she saw the realization sink in on his face. "Are you ok?"

"I'm…great. This is…I don't know what to say."

"Well, please say something, Daryl, because I'm a little anxious here." Daryl turned to her in that moment and kissed her. She smiled against his lips, and when he pulled back, she opened her eyes to look into his.

"You feelin' ok?" he asked, his hand moving forward as if he wanted to touch her stomach, his eyes seeking hers for permission. She gave him a little nod.

"I feel ok. I have my moments," she chuckled. Daryl placed his hand over her stomach, and she put her hand over his. "I'm just…I'm getting used to the idea. I'm happy." She gently brushed her hand against his cheek. "I'm a little scared."

"You don't gotta be scared," Daryl murmured. "This is awesome." Carol grinned at that, and she blinked away her tears.

"You're happy?" she asked.

"Yeah," he whispered. "Didn't think I ever could be this happy, but I am." He pulled Grace into his arms and kissed her cheek. "Gracie, you're gonna be a big sister."

"Oh, she already knows," Carol said with a nod.

"You told her 'fore ya told me?"

"Well, I figured she could keep the secret. She did, didn't she?" Carol teased. "I have another doctor's appointment in a couple of weeks, and I'd really like it if you'd go with me." Daryl curled his arm around her and kissed her softly.

"Wouldn't miss it," he assured her. He stood abruptly, startling Carol, and she watched him with part concern, part amusement, as he paced with Grace in his arms.

"Daryl?"

"We gotta get a bigger place."

"Whoa," Carol said, standing and moving toward him.

"Well, this place ain't gonna be big enough," he pointed out.

"Well, Daryl, we have plenty of time to…"

"We need a bigger house, a bigger yard. Oh, and I wanna build one of them playhouses. Always wanted one of 'em as a kid." She felt her lower lip tremble as he rattled on and on about what he wanted to do for her and for the kids, and when she covered her face with her hands, he stopped abruptly.

"What's wrong? What…did I do somethin'?"

"No," she whimpered. _Good lord, these hormones must be kicking in_. "I'm just…happy. I love you so much." He held Grace close but pulled his arm around Carol, gently stroking her back. "Thank you."

"What'd I do?" he asked softly.

"You…you gave me a family. I didn't think I'd ever have that again." She sniffled and wiped at her nose. "Thank you." She gently placed her hands against his cheeks and kissing him, sighing at the feeling of his arm around her, his stubble brushing her cheek. This was where she wanted to be, and she was so thankful she'd finally found where she belonged.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"Wonder what they are? I mean, if they're boys or girls?"

"Could be one of each," Carol said softly, running her fingers through his hair as he rested his head against her stomach. "They talking to you in there or something?" He looked up at her, and she grinned at him.

"Still can't believe it," he murmured, his hand gently moving over her stomach.

"Neither can I," she chuckled. "This is definitely not something I expected. With my age and…"

"Hey," he murmured, crawling back up the bed to quiet her with a kiss, "ain't nothin' wrong with your age." His lips moved to her neck.

"You make me feel much younger," she admitted. And it was true. The way he seemed to worship her body made her feel like a woman half her age. She felt desired. She felt loved. She felt more like a woman than Ed had ever made her feel during their entire marriage. Sex with him had never been great. She hadn't known great until she'd met Daryl, and she wasn't sure she could ever get enough, which, she thought with a sardonic chuckle, was probably why she now had a belly full of Dixon babies.

Carol was clocking in at twelve weeks now, and she had a little bit of a tummy on her. And Daryl absolutely loved it. Every opportunity he got, his hands were on her belly, and while she thought it was endearing, she also felt like her body wasn't completely her own anymore.

"Michonne's seeing somebody," Carol said out of nowhere. Daryl looked up, a little smile curling at his lips.

"You know who?"

"No, but she's happy. I swear, the woman smiled more during lunch today than she has in our entire friendship. Whoever it is…" Daryl smiled a little bigger, and Carol's eyes widened.

"You know something," she gasped. He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and she tugged at his arm and sat up in the bed. He chuckled and sat up, scooting up to sit next to her in the bed.

"I kinda know somethin'. When I took Grace to the store to get your ice cream yesterday…"

"Yeah?" She remembered well, because she'd suddenly had a craving for mint chocolate chip ice cream at seven in the morning, and Daryl had graciously offered to run out and get it before he had to get ready for work.

"Well, I was walkin' past that diner. _Joe's_."

"Right. The one I met you at a few times, but we never actually went into?"

"Yep. That one. Anyway, I just looked up and….well, there was Michonne drinking coffee."

"And?" Carol asked, feeling impossibly giddy at this point.

"She wasn't alone," Daryl pointed out. Carol sighed.

"Well, I figured that. Who was she with?" Daryl chewed his lip for a moment, watching as she bounced a little on the bed, thinking she was probably the cutest pregnant woman he'd ever seen in his life, and all he wanted to do was kiss her and hold her and remind her of how much he loved her. But, he knew he wasn't going to get anywhere until he finished his story.

"Looked like Rick Grimes to me."

"Rick Grimes?!" Carol asked. "What?"

"That's what I saw. Don't shoot the messenger." He held his hands up. Carol bit her lip and covered her mouth, muffling a squeal of laughter.

"Oh my God," she giggled. "Michonne and…and _Rick?" _Daryl just shrugged and leaned back against the headboard. "Oh this is gonna be fun."

"What?"

"I'm gonna make her tell me," Carol pointed out, biting her lip.

"You're one to talk."

"What?"

"You haven't even told her you're pregnant." Carol rolled her eyes. "You haven't told anybody."

"Glenn."

"_Glenn_ told _you_." Carol made a face. "You gotta tell her some time. She's your best friend."

"I know," Carol said softly. "I just…she's been through a lot, and…"

"So have you," Daryl reminded her. "You gotta tell her." If she didn't tell her soon, her stomach would give it all away. The baggy shirt she'd worn had camouflaged her stomach, but she wasn't going to get away with that for much longer.

"I will. I promise." She leaned in to kiss him, and he pulled his hands to her hips, tugging her into his lap. She grinned, straddling his hips with her knees and pulling her arms around his neck. He moaned when her mouth moved over his neck and up to his ear to give it a little nibble. When she pulled back, she saw the fire in his eyes briefly before he pulled her against him in a hungry kiss.

The next afternoon, Carol came home from work to find Beth rocking Grace back and forth. The baby was crying, and Beth looked completely overwhelmed.

"Thank God you're here," Beth sniffled. "She's been cryin' for an hour."

"What's wrong, Beth?" Carol asked softly, placing her purse down on the couch and reaching for the baby. Gracie calmed for a moment before coughing, her little face reddening by the moment. She began to cry again, and Carol held her close to her chest, patting her back.

"She had her bottle, and I changed her diaper. I put her down for a nap, and she just woke up screamin'. I tried callin' Daryl, but his phone's off."

"Yeah, he keeps it in his locker," Carol said softly. "Beth, you should've called me. I'd have come right home."

"I didn't want to bother you," she sniffled.

"She's got a fever Beth," Carol murmured. "You did the right thing calling Daryl first, but you should have called me." She looked at the clock, realizing it was far too late in the day to be able to get her to the pediatrician.

"I'm sorry. I just…he's her dad, and…"

"And I'm her mom," Carol said matter-of-factly, as Beth's face turned a deep shade of red. Carol quickly picked up her cell phone and dialed Daryl's cell phone. When it rang twice and went right to voicemail, she bounced on her heels until the beep. "Daryl, I'm taking Gracie out to Grady Memorial. She's burning up. Come straight there as soon as you get this. I love you." She hung up and got Gracie in her car seat.

"I'm sorry, Carol," she said softly. "I didn't think."

"No you didn't," Carol snapped, running her fingers through her hair as the baby continued screaming. Beth jumped, her eyes shiny with tears and wide and frightened. Carol sighed and tried to calm her nerves.

"I'm sorry, Beth. Just…I've got to get Gracie out of here." She pulled a twenty out of her purse and handed it to the girl. She ushered Beth out of the house and hurried out to the car with Grace, her heart breaking with each of the baby's cries.

Michonne showed up at the ER about five minutes after Carol did. Carol was just getting off the phone with Daryl's boss, who promised to relay the message to Daryl and get him on his way as soon as possible.

"Hey, she ok?" Michonne asked, pulling Carol into a hug. Carol sighed and broke down in tears, shaking her head. "She's not ok? Oh God."

"No. I mean, she's…I don't know, Mich. They won't let me back to see her."

"What do you mean they won't let you back?"

"They said something about me legally having no right to be back there. I'm not…I'm not technically family."

"That's bullshit," Michonne muttered, shaking her head. "Where's Daryl?"

"Hopefully on his way," Carol sighed. "I hate this. They won't tell me anything. They're waiting for Daryl to show up."

"Okay," Michonne said softly, taking Carol's hand and leading her over to a row of seats in the waiting room. "You have to breathe. "

"I'm breathing," Carol muttered. "I'm scared, Mich."

"Grace's going to be fine. It's probably just an ear infection. Andre got them all the time at that age. It's gonna be ok."

"I hope so. God, I hope so." She gripped the arms of the chair for a moment before she involuntarily put her hand against her stomach. Michonne raised an eyebrow as she watched the display, and that was when Carol caught her look. She sighed and shook her head. "I was going to tell you."

"Damn straight you were. How did I not see this yesterday?" Michonne's face lit up. "We're having a baby?!" Carol laughed at her best friend's choice of words and nodded. Michonne pulled her into another hug, and Carol sniffled when she pulled away. "When?"

"About six more months," Carol said with a little smile. Michonne's eyes widened. "Oh, I know what you're thinking. Did I happen to mention it's twins?"

"Holy shit!"

"I know. That's pretty much exactly what I thought when I found out."

"Daryl?"

"He's already planning where they're going to college," she chuckled. "He's so happy."

"And you?"

"I can't wait," she sniffled. "I feel great."

"I'm so happy for you, Carol." She gave her friend's hand a squeeze.

"Well, I know these babies are ok," she murmured, "but it's my little girl in there I'm worried about." Her lower lip trembled. "I hope he hurries."

"I'll wait with you 'til he gets here, ok?"

"Okay," Carol whispered, her voice shaky as the tears continued to fall. "Thank you." Michonne just gave her a confident smile and continued gripping her hand, letting her know that, as always, she was there for her.

The double doors to the ER slid open, and Daryl came rushing in, his eyes scanning the waiting room until he saw Carol and Michonne sitting quietly together in a corner. As soon as Carol saw him, she stood, and he rushed over to her, pulling her into a hug and stroking her back.

"How's she doin'?"

"I don't know," she sobbed.

"What do you mean, ya don't know?"

"They won't let me back there. They won't give me updates, because I'm not family." Daryl's jaw tensed at the words, and he took her hand in his.

"C'mon." Carol followed him up to the desk.

"May I help you, sir?"

"I wanna see my daughter," he said flatly. "Grace Dixon."

"You're the father?"

"Yeah, and this here's her mother."

"Sir, she said that she's…"

"She's her mama," he insisted. Maybe not in the way your damn rules would have her be, but she is. And she's comin' back there with me, 'cause Grace needs her mama." The woman at the desk nodded at him with wide eyes.

"Of course sir. I just need you to fill out some paperwork, and we'll…"

"Just give me the thing," he muttered, swiping the clipboard from the woman's hand.

"Daryl, she's just doing her job," Carol said softly, gently rubbing his arm as they walked back over to sit with Michonne.

"Don't fuckin' care," he muttered. "They kept you from our girl."

"I'm not her mother," she said softly. "I mean, not legally. I have no rights here."

"You brought her here. And they say you can't come back? That makes no fuckin' sense." Daryl started scribbling down information on the clipboard papers.

"You two gonna be ok here?" Michonne asked softly. "I really have to get back to Andre. His…babysitters…new. I don't want to leave him for too long." Carol nodded and pulled her friend into a hug.

"We'll be fine. Thank you for sitting with me," she sniffled. Michonne nodded and gave Carol a little squeeze.

"You call me as soon as you find out anything."

"I will. I promise." Michonne got up to leave, and Carol settled back down in the waiting room chair, waiting as Daryl finished up the paperwork.

"Can't let me do this back there? Just wanna see my kid," he grumbled as he got up and handed the clipboard to the woman behind the desk, along with his ID to prove who he was. "Where is she?" Carol got up to follow him, and the woman pushed a button behind the counter that opened the doors.

"E8," the woman assured him. Daryl made a beeline for that room with Carol right at his side, and as soon as they reached the room, they saw Grace in the crib, stripped down to her diaper, an IV running out of her.

"Oh God," Carol whimpered. She reached the crib first, gently running her hand over Grace's warm little face.

"She gonna be ok?" Daryl asked the nurse standing inside, putting some kind of medication into the IV.

"She'll be fine. Mr. Dixon?"

"Yeah," he murmured. "What's wrong with her?"

"She's got an ear infection and a fever, but we're giving her antibiotics and keeping her cool. She's going to be ok. The doctor wants to keep her overnight to make sure the fever breaks." Carol sniffled and leaned down to kiss Grace's forehead. The baby was sleeping now, and it was a comfort that she wasn't screaming and her face wasn't so red anymore.

"Hey Gracie girl," Daryl murmured, leaning over the crib to gently caress his daughter's tummy. "You're gonna be ok. Your mama and papa are here, a'right? You just sleep and feel better, and we'll be here when you wake up."

Carol settled down in the waiting chair near the crib, and the nurse brought another one in for Daryl.

"You sure that chair's alright? You ain't uncomfortable?"

"It's fine," Carol assured him. "I just want to be here with her." Daryl nodded, gently taking her hand in his. She let out a couple of shaky breaths, and Daryl saw the tears welling in her eyes.

"Hey," he said gently, running his thumb over her knuckles. She shook her head and covered her face with her hand, letting a little sob escape. "Hey, it's alright. She's fine."

"It's not alright," she cried. "Today was one of the worst…I just…I felt so helpless. I couldn't even hold my baby. She must have been so scared." Carol swallowed hard. "When Sophia was in the hospital, I spent as much time as I could with her. I held her hand, I played with her, I read to her, and I…I even sang to her. Anything to make her feel less…less afraid of being in a strange place with strange people coming in to stick her with needles all the time. I couldn't be there for Grace tonight, because I'm not…I'm nothing to her."

"That ain't true."

"I know," she sniffled, "but according to hospital policy, I'm nothing." Daryl gave her hand a squeeze.

"What're you sayin'?" he asked gently.

"I'm not sure," she sniffled. "All I know is that I don't ever want to go through what I went through tonight." She shook her head and scooted her chair closer to the crib, reaching through the bars to gently take Grace's hand in hers. It was then, Daryl realized, as he sat there watching her, that Carol was ready.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Gracie was back to her cheerful baby self within a couple of days, a week later, Carol was the one who was sick. Only, she was hanging her head over the toilet and groaning about how the morning sickness was happening at night and how she was pretty sure the babies weren't getting enough nutrients what with her throwing up everything she ate. So she was a weepy mess on the floor of the bathroom as Daryl sat on the edge of the tub and rubbed her back.

"Can I do anything?" he asked.

"No," she sobbed. "I just...it's never going to end." She sniffled and flushed the toilet. He helped her stand, and she gained her balance, putting her hands on his shoulders.

"Maybe I ought to call Maggie, Glenn and Michonne and cancel."

"No," Carol murmured. "I'll feel better in a little bit. I just won't eat anything."

"You gotta eat."

"I'll just throw it up again."

"Can't Dr. Simpson give you anything?" he asked, at a loss as to what he could do for her.

"I'll ask her, but nothing ever worked when I was pregnant with Sophia." She sniffled again. "It's just so much worse this time." Her face was pale, and she had dark circles under her eyes. Daryl took her hand.

"C'mon."

"What?"

"You're gonna lay down, and I'm gonna bring you some crackers." Carol sighed but let him lead her to their bedroom, where she curled up on the bed, draping a hand over her stomach. "You ok?"

"Better," she murmured, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Be right back," he promised. She nodded, and he hurried to the kitchen to retrieve some crackers for her. Cherokee was curled up in the corner of the kitchen napping, and when he saw Daryl come in, his ears perked up, and he lifted his head.

"Go to Carol, boy," Daryl murmured. "She's not feelin' too good." Cherokee whined, and he rushed off to the bedroom. When Daryl returned, Cherokee was laying on the floor, and Carol was leaning over the bed, stroking his ears. She was smiling, and that made Daryl feel a little better. He hated that he couldn't really do anything to help her, but at least Cherokee could bring a smile to her face.

"Here ya go," he offered, handing the plate of crackers out to her.

"Thank you," she said with a sigh, taking it and nibbling slowly on a cracker. He eyed her, as if expecting her to sprint off toward the bathroom again, but she didn't. With a little sigh of relief, he sat down on the edge of the bed.

A knock came from the front door, and Cherokee perked up.

"Stay," Daryl told him, getting up from the bed.

"They're here already?"

"S'alright. You just stay here 'til you're ready."

"I need to shower," she groaned.

"Take your time. I'll go check the lasagna. Probably gonna be another half hour anyway." Carol nodded, and Daryl gave her a quick kiss before hurrying off to answer the door. Michonne stood there shivering as the cool evening air settled over the town.

"Everything ok?" she asked, seeing the exhaustion in Daryl's face.

"Yeah. Carol's just feelin' bad."

"Ah," Michonne said with a nod. "Morning sickness. Don't miss that at all."

"Did you bring it?"

"Yeah, I brought it. Just for the record, I'm not entirely comfortable keeping something like this around my place."

"Well, you don't have to anymore."

"You're gonna do it tonight?" Michonne asked, handing him the box.

"Not tonight. Soon. She ain't feelin' right tonight."

"Damn. I thought it'd be romantic as hell, you popping the question in front of everybody." Daryl's cheeks flushed, and Michonne grinned. "Don't worry. She'll say yes. You could propose to her in the middle of a garbage dump, and she'd still say yes to you. I wouldn't recommend doing that though." She made a face, and Daryl snorted.

"She's gettin' cleaned up. Come on in. Glenn and Maggie should be here soon."

Four days ago, Daryl had stopped by Michonne's on the way home from work with a very important job for her. She just needed to keep a hold of the ring he'd just bought for Carol. It wasn't anything too fancy. It was a silver band with a simple diamond, and Michonne had explained that was exactly the way Carol would like it. She didn't go for flashy, fancy things. She liked nice things, pretty things. The ring had been perfect, and Michonne had even gotten a little misty eyed when Daryl had given her a peek. He'd asked her to keep it for a few days, because he didn't want Carol accidentally discovering it at the house. He had planned on popping the question tonight, but he'd changed his mind when he'd seen how bad Carol was feeling. He didn't want her memories of his proposal being clouded by morning sickness. He wanted it to be special. Nothing fancy, but spontaneous and surprising.

"You really think it's the right one?" Daryl asked after a few moments of silence.

"She'll love it. Believe me," Michonne murmured. "Daryl, that woman loves you more than Laura loved Luke. More than Rachel loved Ross. More than…more than Beckett loves Castle." She saw the perplexed look on his face and laughed.

"Sorry, you're not a girl. You totally won't get it. Trust me. She loves you. A lot."

"She ever talk to you…'bout how Ed proposed?"

"Yeah," Michonne said with a nod. "You want to know?"

"I just don't want it to be like he did it."

"Oh," Michonne snorted. "Trust me. So long as it doesn't involve putting a ring in a glass of wine and her nearly choking on it and spending three hours in a dentist's chair because she chipped a tooth, you'll be fine."

"Ed did that? She said yes to that?"

"Well, she loved him. And Ed was different back then. He wasn't really that charming, but there was something about him. She loved him." Michonne shrugged. "But not like she loves you."

By the time Carol felt presentable enough, she did a once over in the mirror before hurrying out to meet her friends. Michonne was just popping the cork on the wine bottle, and Daryl was pulling the lasagna out of the oven.

"I call dibs on Carol's share," Glenn offered.

"Rhee, you can't even hold your own share, let alone somebody else's," Michonne laughed. "Sparkling cider for Carol."

"Thank you," Carol said with a smile, sitting down at the table next to Maggie.

"Oh, your belly's so big already," Maggie said with a happy smile.

"Thanks," Carol muttered. "I was just feeling good, too." She gave Maggie a wink, and Glenn snorted.

"Are you feeling ok?" Maggie asked softly.

"Better," she admitted. "I just…I feel bad for Daryl putting up with all these mood swings. And it's going to get worse before it gets better." Daryl gave Carol a kiss on the cheek as he placed the lasagna tray in the center of the table.

They had a nice dinner with friends, and Daryl could barely keep his eyes off of Carol. It was impossible to see any sign that she'd been sick today and that just an hour ago she'd been hugging the toilet bowl, trying desperately not to throw up.

Glenn and Maggie were overly handsy with one another, which caused Daryl to crack a couple of 'get a room' jokes. Michonne was her usual fun self, though from time to time she'd check her messages, and a smile would spread over her face. When Glenn had caught her, he'd called her out on having a man, and she'd been coy and skirted around the issue, but when Carol caught her gaze, Michonne gave her a little nod that seemed to acknowledge that they would talk about it later.

As he watched her smile and laugh with their friends, his heart swelled, and he suddenly wondered if this was the moment. She was happy, she was feeling great, and she was having a good time. Maybe proposing now wasn't the worst idea.

He started to get up to go fetch the ring, but Glenn stood up and popped the cork on a fresh bottle of wine. He filled his own glass and then Daryl's.

"You trying to get him liquored up?" Michonne asked. "Don't be stingy over there." Michonne held her glass up, and Glenn blushed, pouring. "Wait a minute. I know why Carol's not drinking tonight, but Maggie?"

"Oh, I'm the designated driver," Maggie said with a sheepish smile. "You know how Glenn gets." Michonne eyed her, seeing the blush fill the girl's cheeks.

"Oh. Oh. Wait a minute. I'm gonna sit down for this." Michonne sat down and put her glass of wine down. Glenn and Maggie looked at one another, and neither of them could contain their smiles. Daryl sighed a little to himself but decided to let Glenn and Maggie have their moment. It was probably better this way. He figured he'd rather not ask Carol in front of an audience anyway, especially when Glenn was pretty much drunk, and Michonne was well on her way.

"Well, I guess there's no time like the present," Maggie said with a grin. "We're having a baby!"

"Oh my God!" Carol exclaimed. "Congratulations!"

"Maybe it's twins," Michonne teased.

"God no. We checked," Glenn said with a laugh. "My guys weren't going for the Olympic medal like Daryl's." Maggie swatted his arm.

"Really? Sperm jokes?"

"Sorry. She hates those," Glenn chuckled. He gave Maggie a kiss on the cheek, and she rolled her eyes, but nothing could dull her happiness.

The rest of the night was spent celebrating Maggie and Glenn's good news, and as Daryl looked around at his friends and at the woman he loved, he knew Carol had come into his life for a reason. She had given him and Grace more than just a family. The sounds of laughter filling the home made him look forward to the future, look forward to their children laughing and playing with Cherokee in the back yard and good friends sharing meals and having a good time. She'd given him a future, a home, a life.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Sixteen weeks. Carol leaned back against Daryl as he hugged her from behind. He rested his chin on her shoulder and cradled her belly in his hands, gently rubbing her there. She couldn't get over how different it felt to be pregnant, how strange it was to wake up every day and see her belly growing. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, she'd wake up, wondering if she had been dreaming it all, only to find Daryl sleeping soundly at her side and feel the swell of her stomach beneath her hand.

He peered at her reflection in the mirror, seeing the way she chewed her bottom lip as she looked at her swollen belly. His hand moved across her stomach, and she smiled.

"Love you," he murmured.

"You talking to me or the babies?" she teased. Daryl snorted and kissed the side of her neck. She sighed softly and turned in his arms, lowering her shirt over her belly and wrapping her arms around his neck. "You sure you want to be there? It's a big needle."

"Ain't scared of no needles," he muttered.

"Yeah, but when it's being jabbed into the stomach of your girlfriend, it's a different story," Carol pointed out. "I'm nervous enough thinking about the amnio."

"I wanna be there," he replied. "What's that all about anyway?"

"They just want to make sure everything's ok with the babies. Since I'm over thirty five, Dr. Simpson just wants to make sure everything's alright. She'll be able to check for genetic defects and things like that."

"What if she finds something?" Daryl asked gently, his hands resting on her hips.

"Then we'll talk about it if she does," she said quietly. Daryl stroked her belly again.

"They're our babies," he said quietly. "Nothin' else matters." Carol hummed softly when he kissed her.

"I agree," she said with a smile. "But I still want us to be prepared, you know?" He nodded a little, and he kissed her tenderly, his breath ghosting over her lips just enough for her to follow his kiss when he pulled back. She pushed against him, moaning softly and sliding her tongue over his lips.

"Ooookay," Carol mused slowly as his hands moved down to cup her ass, pulling her closer. She could feel his erection against her thigh, and she sighed softly. "We'll be late."

"You started it," he mumbled.

"You want me to say sorry?" she laughed, as his he sucked lightly against her collarbone. He chuckled against her neck, kissing her there again. When he pulled back, he leaned down to kiss her once more. She looked up at him with a bright smile. She'd been feeling great the last couple of weeks. The nausea had all but disappeared, and Carol seemed in much better spirits.

Grace began to fuss in her nursery, and Carol was the first to move.

"I'll get her," she offered, hurrying off to get the baby. Daryl followed after her and leaned against the nursery door to watch the two of them. Carol cooed down at Grace, who was crawling in her crib. She'd started crawling about a week ago, and Carol told him that it wouldn't be long before she started pulling herself up on things. She was getting so big, and it was hard to believe that Gracie wasn't that tiny little newborn he'd once carried around like she was a fragile porcelain doll.

The baby smiled at the sight of Carol. She hiccupped and rested her head on Carol's shoulder.

"Hello, Little Miss," Carol murmured, stroking her back. "Did you have a good nap?" Carol swayed back and forth with the baby in her arms, and Daryl was mesmerized. The way she smiled as she held the baby, the way Gracie giggled as Carol tickled her under her arm, the way Carol's eyes sparkled and her nose crinkled as she smiled.

She looked at him, noticing that his mind was wandering, and she raised her eyebrows.

"You ok over there?" She continued to sway back and forth, and Grace babbled happily as Carol held her up in the air and blew raspberries on her tummy. She brought the baby back down, cradling her against her chest.

"Marry me." Carol looked back up at Daryl, her eyes fixing on his in a way that he couldn't quite read her.

"What?" she asked with a little half-smile.

"I wanna marry you. And I know I said I wouldn't ask ya 'til you were ready." He swallowed hard, still unable to read her, though her eyes were beginning to shimmer, and he could see that half-smile beginning to spread. "I love you, Carol. You're…you and Gracie and these babies are everything to me." He cleared his throat, anxiously rubbing the back of his neck. "I ain't never done this before." Carol took a step toward him. "I just need to know…are you ready? Everything that's happened…I know it's been fast, and I know…"

"Stop," she said softly, closing the gap between them, gently putting her hand against his cheek. "Daryl Dixon, you've been amazing. You've been…you knew me. Even when we were strangers. I was supposed to meet you. I'm sure of that." She bit her lower lip a little. "And I'm ready. I'm ready to take that next step with you." She leaned in and kissed him softly.

"So…you…you're sayin' yes?"

"I'm saying yes," she murmured. Daryl let out a sharp breath, and a tear slipped down Carol's cheek. "I love you, Daryl Dixon. I'd be honored to be your wife." He pulled her in, his mouth slanting over hers, kissing her tenderly at first, but feeling her open up to him, deepening the kiss. When Grace cooed between them, Carol chuckled and pulled back a little. Daryl took the baby into his arms and kissed her cheek, getting a giggle out of her.

"Whaddya think, Gracie Girl?" he asked. She giggled, and Carol laughed.

"I think she's ok with it," Carol giggled.

"Can ya take her for a minute?" he asked, holding Gracie out to Carol.

"Of course," she said softly, smiling and taking Gracie back into her waiting arms. "C'mere, sweetheart." Daryl disappeared for a few minutes and returned with a small, black box in his hands. Carol's eyes widened when she saw it. "Is that…"

"Yeah," he said quietly. "I've had it for weeks. Just been waitin' for the right time."

"Why now?" she asked curiously.

"Just 'cause," he said with a shrug. Carol grinned as she approached him, watching him open the box to reveal the silver band with the simple diamond. She gasped softly.

"Oh Daryl, it's gorgeous," she whispered. "It's perfect."

"Michonne thought you'd like it."

"Michonne?" Carol asked, a bit surprised. "She knew about it?"

"She knew about it when I bought it," he confessed. Carol chuckled and shook her head.

"She sure can keep a secret, can't she?"

"She earned my trust," Daryl murmured. He took the ring out of the box and gently slid it on Carol's finger. She sighed softly and her lip trembled gently. "You ok?"

"Yeah," she sniffled, wiping a tear from her eye as she moved Grace into her mother arm. "It's just…I took off Ed's ring not long after you and I met. And honestly, I never thought I'd have another ring on this finger." She swallowed hard. "I mean, not until you started talking about marriage and wanting to have a life with me." She grinned. "I love it, Daryl. I love you." She kissed him and giggled as he pulled her back into his arms. "Now we're _really_ going to be late."

"S'alright. Doctors always keep ya waitin' anyway. They can get a taste of their own medicine."

"Oh, funny," Carol snorted. "Come on. We should go. We'll celebrate later." There was a slight purr to her voice, and Daryl kissed her ear softly.

"Hope so," he muttered. Carol gave him a final kiss before urging him out the door to help her get Gracie ready for the car ride.

"So when's the big day?" Michonne asked happily as she and Carol sat on back porch of Carol and Daryl's house a few days later. Michonne was admiring Carol's ring as if seeing it for the first time, though they both knew that wasn't the case. It just looked much different being on the ring of the intended.

"We haven't set a date yet," Carol said with a shrug.

"Oh, the whole eloping to Vegas thing, huh? I get it," Michonne teased.

"Sounds more like your and Rick's style," Carol chuckled.

"What?! Now who said anything about me and Rick getting married."

"Please, you two practically live together."

"That's not true. I just stay over a lot. With Andre. And Andre has a crib there." She sighed. "Yeah, you're right. We're already like old marrieds."

"Now you're going to have to bring the family around. I've still yet to meet Judith and Carl."

"They're great," Michonne said, beaming. "Carl's your typical twelve year old. He's into comics and video games. He totally kicked my ass at COD."

"What's that?"

"A game way too old for him, but kids these days, you know?" Michonne rolled her eyes. "I talked to Rick about it, and he seems ok with it. I don't know. But Carl's a really good kid. He's funny too."

"Look at you," Carol grinned. "You're so happy."

"I feel good," Michonne said softly. "Rick's…different. Good different." She blushed a little.

"I bet," Carol snorted.

"Look at us, Carol," Michonne said with a heavy sigh. "We both rush into things like crazed madwomen, and look at us now."

"Yeah. It's a good thing we rushed into things with good men, not with crazed madmen."

"Well, I dunno about that," Michonne laughed, her voice thick with innuendo. They had a good laugh, and Grace shrieked from her bouncy seat as Andre poured his juice over her head.

"Andre Anthony!" Michonne scolded. He jumped and looked at his mother with wide eyes before giving her that sweet 'what'd I do? I'm innocent' look. Grace's lower lip stuck out for a moment before she burst into tears. Carol lifted Grace out of her bouncy seat and used a wet wipe to clean the juice off of her face.

"You need a bath," Carol said with a little pout, kissing her little girl's forehead.

"Sorry," Michonne muttered. "This boy has the manners of a caveman sometimes. Something he inherited from his father, of course."

"Oh, of course," Carol teased.

"Hey now, I'm trying to teach my son to be respectful of the ladies. Now, Andre, you apologize to Grace Dixon right now." Andre made a face, but when he saw the stern look his mother gave him, he leaned over and kissed Grace's forehead. "See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Andre wiped his mouth off and scurried off to play with his toy cars. Carol laughed and shook her head. "And you're having two more."

"I know. I can't wait." Carol sighed happily and rocked Grace back and forth until she stopped crying. Michonne shook her head.

"You're so good with her. Judith hasn't really come around yet. She looks at me like she doesn't quite trust me."

"Give her time. You're new. It'll take some getting used to."

"You're a natural with her though," Michonne said with a nod. "She loves you, you know?" She saw the smile cross Carol's face.

"Daryl wants me to adopt her."

"He what?"

"When we get married, he wants me to adopt Grace."

"Wow. What did you say?"

"What could I say? She's already mine. Why not make it legal?" She smiled and kissed Grace's forehead. "Right, Gracie? Tell Auntie 'Chonne your mama's right." Grace gurgled, and Michonne watched the two of them, watched the way Carol lit up with seven-month-old Grace in her arms. As Carol played with the baby, Michonne saw a bit of sadness flash across her face.

"Hey," Michonne said gently, "you thinking of Sophia?"

"Yeah," Carol said gently. "She would have loved to be a big sister." Carol took a couple of deep breaths. "I'd like to visit her grave again."

"Want me to watch Grace?"

"No…I was wondering if you wouldn't mind coming with me. It's hard to go alone." Michonne gently took Carol's hand in hers and gave it a squeeze.

"Of course I'll go." Carol's sadness seemed to fade away when Grace let out a delightful squeal when a squirrel ran along the sidewalk.

"Thank you," Carol murmured. Michonne nodded, standing and holding her hand out. Carol took it and let Michonne help her up. Then the two of them gathered up the kids and headed out to visit Sophia's grave.

When Daryl came home that night, he was greeted by Cherokee at the door. He scratched the dog behind the ears and was thanked with a lick on the hand before he slipped into the kitchen, where Carol was feeling Grace at the table.

Carol glanced up at the doorway to see Daryl in his dirty factory coveralls, and she smiled. She left Grace in the chair, her face messy and orange from the carrots Carol had been spoon feeding her.

"Hi," Carol greeted him, kissing him and wrapping her arms around him.

"I'm gonna get ya dirty."

"Don't care," she murmured, kissing him again. He chuckled against her mouth and slid his hand down her back. "Glad you're home."

"Me too," he chuckled. "You hungry?"

"If you're asking if dinner's ready, the answer's no. I thought we'd give Gracie a bath and put her down for the night. Then we'd have dessert…before dinner." She was kissing him softly now, her hands moving down his chest, and his breath hitched in his chest. "Exactly how hungry are you?"

"Starvin'," he murmured, breaking the kiss, his gaze not leaving hers. She grinned and bit her lower lip.

"Good. You go shower, and I'll give Gracie a sink bath. Meet you in our room in fifteen?" Daryl nodded slowly, his mind unable to process Carol's friskiness as fast as his body was. He groaned as his dick hardened in his pants, and he cleared his throat, turning and heading off to shower, willing himself to think about anything but his gorgeous fiancé and her voracious sexual appetite.

He wasted no time in stripping out of his work clothes and tossing them in the hamper. He noticed Carol had already turned their bed down and had a couple of candles lit. She never stopped amazing him. For the first time in weeks, Carol was feeling a hundred percent like her old self, and he definitely wasn't going to deprive her of taking the opportunity to enjoy it all in every way possible.

He showered quickly, making sure to scrubs his fingers and nails and get all the dirt and grime from the factory out from under them. He washed his hair, leaning his head back as the hot water flowed over his scalp and down his body.

And before he knew what was happening, he felt an arm slide around his waist, and he moaned at the sensation of her pressing her naked body against his, her mouth pressing against his chest, her teeth grazing over his nipple.

"Fuck," he groaned, when her hand moved down between them, stroking him to life. "Thought you said fifteen minutes."

"Couldn't wait," she murmured, kissing his neck before he angled down and captured her mouth in a searing kiss. She moaned softly as he ran his hands down her back, gripping her ass and pulling her closer against him, her belly making that a little harder than it used to be, but he was ok with that. It just meant he had to work a little harder. He might have been exhausted from work, but he had plenty of enough energy for this.

"The baby?" he asked, pushing her back against the shower wall.

"Sleeping," she promised.

"That was fast."

"I'm that good," she grinned. "Besides, I kept her up from her last nap."

"Smart," he chuckled, burying his hands in her hair and kissing her again. "Water's gonna go cold soon."

"Don't care," she whispered against his mouth, as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him hungrily, wrapping her arms around his neck. Daryl pulled her closer, kissing her neck and leaning down to capture one breast in his mouth, dragging his tongue around the nipple as his other hand cupped her other breast. She moaned softly, leaning her head back against the shower wall as he worshiped her breasts. While she was generally ok with her smaller sized bosom, and she knew Daryl loved her just the way she was, she couldn't help but notice that he'd become quite interested in her breasts recently, as they were a bit larger with swelling, and what was more was that she enjoyed his attention immensely. She was quite sensitive there, and they'd both been surprised at how easily he could make her orgasm simply by paying that little extra attention.

As he kissed his way back up her neck again, the water began to turn cold, and Daryl felt Carol begin to shiver in his arms. He cut off the water but continued kissing her up against the shower wall until both of them had to break the kiss for a breath.

He rested his forehead against hers, and she smiled, gently running her fingers over his lips. He caught her hand in his and kissed the pads of her fingers, gently sucking the tip of one finger between his lips.

"Okay," she panted. "Bedroom. Now."

"Yes, ma'am," he chuckled, picking her up in his arms and carrying her off to bed.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Carol took a few deep breaths and gripped Daryl's hand as they stood outside the courtroom.

"I can't do this," she murmured, her free hand running over her stomach. At twenty weeks, she couldn't see her feet anymore, and the fact that the babies seemed to be having a kickboxing match today didn't make her feel any less anxious.

"You can," Daryl said softly.

"Daryl, I don't want to. I just…I want to go home. I want to forget." Daryl pulled her into his arms and gently stroked her back. "He's in there."

"Yeah," Daryl said gently.

"You were in there a long time."

"I told 'em what happened. That's all you can do. It's outta our hands."

"I really don't want to see him."

"You don't look at him. You look at the door. At the lawyer. At the judge. Don't look at him. And don't let his lawyer get to you. She's got a job to do, just like the prosecutor. Just tell her everything the way it happened." Carol felt a dizzying wave of emotion flood over her, and Daryl gently placed his hands on her arms to steady her. "Hey, it's ok."

"I…I need a minute."

"Carol Peletier?" Her name was called way to quickly for her liking. Carol nodded, and at that moment, Michonne came walking out. She looked a little pale, but she looked like a weight had been lifted. Carol moved to hug her, and the two held each other for a moment.

"You ok?" Carol asked.

"I think I am now," Michonne said with a nod. "He…he doesn't look like Ed. I just wanted to prepare you." Carol nodded, swallowing hard. "You can do this." Michonne gave her hand a squeeze.

"Okay," Carol said softly, letting out a slow breath. She turned back to Daryl, and he gave her a confident nod.

"Just go in there. Answer their questions, and put it behind you," Michonne said gently. "It'll be alright." Carol nodded and moved back toward Daryl for another quick hug. He kissed the side of her head, and she followed the bailiff into the courtroom, ready to put Ed Peletier behind her once and for all.

"Mrs. Peletier—"

"Excuse me," Carol interrupted, "I'm not married to him anymore." She hadn't meant to sound so defensive, but when she'd seen the way the defense lawyer had looked at her like a target when she took the stand, she immediately got her defenses up. She didn't look at Ed. She'd gotten a quick peek at him when she'd briefly scanned the room as she walked in. He'd seen her and her pregnant belly, and his face had grown red with what she could only assume with anger, but he hadn't said anything. He was thinner than the last time she'd seen him, and his face was gaunt. She wondered if it made her a terrible person that she was a little relieved that he looked like he was suffering.

"Alright. _Ms_. _Peletier," _the pretty blonde asked, looking over a paper as she sat at the table next to Ed. Carol kept her eyes fixed on the woman. Carol was pretty sure her name was Andrea, and she wondered what had possessed the woman to defend Ed Peletier of all people. "You were married to Mr. Peletier for how long?"

"Twelve years."

"And in those twelve years, did Mr. Peletier—Ed—ever act in a way that caused you alarm or made you worry for his mental health?"

"We had our troubles. We had our arguments, but no, I never worried about his mental health at the beginning of our marriage."

"What about after your daughter was born. Sophie."

"Sophia," Carol corrected her in a cool tone. "When Sophia was born, Ed's patience became shorter, but he loved her. He worked a lot, and when Sophia started to get sick, I got a job to pick up the slack on the bills. We were both stressed out."

"Did he ever strike you or Sophia?"

"No," Carol said with a shake of her head, getting a brief glimpse of Ed looking down at a file folder. He looked calm now. He looked like the Ed she knew.

"Talk to me about after Sophia passed away." Carol felt like somebody had hit her in the stomach, and for a brief moment, the air rushed from her lungs.

"After Sophia died, we…we became two different people. We didn't know how to comfort each other."

"You're suggesting multiple personalities?" Carol rolled her eyes at that.

"No, I'm just saying we change. People change. That's not a crime." Andrea narrowed her eyes at Carol but said nothing. "We didn't know how to be a family without Sophia. We just kind of existed in the same house."

"And how long was it after the death of your daughter that you began a sexual relationship with Daryl Dixon?"

"I don't think that's any of your business." Carol clenched her jaw directly before she was ordered to answered the question from the judge. "Three years."

"And how long after your affair with Mr. Dixon began did you tell Mr. Peletier?"

"A few days."

"And how'd he take it?"

"Not well. He told me about his affair with his secretary, and the next morning, I told him about Daryl. I told him our marriage was over, and when I was leaving, he grabbed me. Hard. I told him never to put his hands on me again."

"And that's the first time Ed Peletier ever got physically rough with you?"

"Yes," Carol murmured.

"Even under the influence of alcohol?"

"He never beat me, if that's what you're asking. But after I left, he snapped."

"So you admit that your leaving may have been a breaking point for Mr. Peletier?"

"I'm not responsible for my ex-husband's actions. I chose to leave, because I wasn't happy in the marriage. I wasn't in love with Ed anymore, because I recognized nothing in him that I fell in love with when we first met. I left, because I couldn't spend another day in that that house, under that roof with him."

"Tell us about the events after your moving out."

"Where would you like me to begin?" Carol asked a bit bitterly. "How he got rid of every trace of our daughter so that I couldn't have her things? How he broke into my apartment and tried to come after me? How he shot Daryl? How he broke into my best friend's home and terrorized her and her son?" She felt her hand tremble on her stomach. "Ed needs help. Was he insane when he shot Daryl? I don't know. The Ed I married wasn't the Ed that's made my life hell the last several months. The Ed I married was kind of an ass. He was funny though. He was a good man who worked hard for his family. He just kind of broke after Sophia died. We both did. But I put myself back together." A sad smile pulled up in the corner of her mouth. "Daryl helped me with that." She eyed the woman sitting before her. "Any more questions?"

"No. That'll be all," Andrea murmured, clearing her throat. And with that, the prosecutor took his turn and Carol focused on breathing through it, and by the time she was finished, she was looking Ed right in the eye so she knew that he knew she had built a new life and she was moving on away from him and thankful for it, too.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

"I can't believe you don't want to know," Daryl murmured, as he stood next to the exam table, while Dr. Simpson did an ultrasound. At twenty-six weeks, Carol was feeling some pains once in a while, but the doctor didn't seem too concerned at this point. Carol was a little worried that the babies would be born too early, which was a possibility, but Dr. Simpson assured her that the babies were healthy and doing well, and Carol just needed to make sure to rest as much as possible in the evening time.

"I found out with Sophia, and it was wonderful to finally meet my little girl," Carol admitted, "but the idea of not knowing and being surprised? I loved that."

"I found out I was a dad when two cops showed up on my porch. I've had all the surprises I need." Carol sighed and shrugged her shoulder.

"Well, I know," Dr. Simpson chuckled, moving the Doppler over Carol's belly. The results of the amnio had come in weeks ago, and the babies were healthy and growing right according to schedule. You two still haven't made up your minds if you want to know?"

"Well, I figure we're over halfway there. We might as well wait until they're born," Carol offered.

"I ain't winnin' this one," Daryl snorted.

"If it means that much to you, we can find out, Daryl," Carol promised him. "Honestly, I'm happy with whatever we're having, and if you want to know…"

"S'alright," Daryl said with a little grin. "I don't mind waitin'. Guess we'll hold off paintin' the nursery 'til we know, right?" Carol had convinced Daryl not to sell the house. They were simply adding on, and that was currently a work in progress at the Dixon home.

"You sure?" Carol asked, squeezing his hand.

"Sure," he murmured, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

"So, have you two set a date yet?" Dr. Simpson asked, keeping her focus on the monitor, making notes and taking measurements.

"Tomorrow," Carol said with a grin.

"Tomorrow?!" Dr. Simpson asked. "Well, congratulations!"

"We're just having a small ceremony. Just us and our friends," Carol pointed out. "Even the dog."

"The dog?" Dr. Simpson asked.

"We're getting married on a farm," Daryl pointed out. "You know Hershel Greene?"

"Yeah, he's my cat's vet."

"He's officiating. Reminds me, we gotta pick up our license downtown today," Daryl murmured, making a mental note.

"I've gotta tell you, you folks might be the most relaxed bride and groom I've ever met. And with a little one at home and two on the way?" She eyed them. "You know the groom's not supposed to see the bride twenty-four hours before the wedding right?"

"Dr. Simpson, we've had enough bad luck between us for two lifetimes," Carol said with a chuckle. "Besides, twenty-four hours doesn't start until six tonight."

"Oh, an evening wedding. My favorite," Dr. Simpson said with a smile. "Good luck to you both."

"Thanks," Daryl murmured. "How're the babies? How's Carol?"

"Everybody's fine. Everybody's doing great. Now you two enjoy your honeymoon, but Carol, you take it easy, because we don't want those babies getting any ideas and trying to come any earlier than they need to, alright?"

"Absolutely," Carol said with a confident nod. "Thanks, Dr. Simpson."

"You sure you'll be alright?" Daryl asked skeptically, as he pulled up outside of Michonne's house.

"Yes!" Carol exclaimed for the fourth time. "Don't worry. Michonne and Maggie are both going to be here. You and Rick and Glenn will go out and have a good time."

"Rick has to go?" Daryl asked dejectedly.

"Aw, Pookie," she teased, "give him a chance. He's a good guy, and Michonne's crazy about him."

"A'right," he muttered.

"You guys go out, have a good time, and I'll see you in…" She checked her phone. "Twenty-four hours and nine minutes. You better hurry."

"C'mere," he grumbled, pulling her in for a hungry kiss. "Gonna miss you."

"Me too," she hummed. She hated spending any amount of time away from him, but she couldn't wait until tomorrow when they stood up together with their closest friends and pledged themselves to one another for the rest of their lives.

"Lemme carry your bags in, at least."

"Nope! No time," Carol replied, sending a quick text. Michonne came rushing out of the house in moments, and Carol got out to get Gracie out of her car seat.

"You better hurry up. The stripper'll be here in twenty," Michonne called.

"What?" Daryl asked, his jaw dropping slightly.

"She's kidding," Carol said dryly. "Don't mind her." She gave him a quick kiss and pulled Grace into her arms. Michonne helped get the rest of Carol's things.

"Only slightly. Since Carol and Maggie aren't drinking, I've got a whole bottle of champagne to myself. Who knows what could happen?" Daryl eyed her and then Carol, and Carol snorted.

"Want me to take pictures?"

"Stop," he muttered, pulling her in for one quick kiss. "Love you. He touched her belly. Love you guys, too. And you." He kissed the top of Gracie's head.

"Come on!" Michonne hollered, yanking at Carol's arm.

"Love you," Carol murmured, giving him one last kiss before submitting to Michonne's strength and allowing herself to be tugged down the sidewalk and into the house. Daryl sat there for a moment, wishing the next twenty-four-hours would just hurry up and get over with already. Finally, he turned around and heated down to the Rhee household, where he would undoubtedly have an awkwardly entertaining evening with Glenn and Rick.

"So you're _sure_ you're ready for this?" Maggie asked, as the three sat around watching chick flicks and drinking. Well, Michonne was having some champagne, while the pregnant ladies had sparkling cider.

"100 percent," Carol said with a nod.

"Trust me. You never met Ed, but Daryl's like a hundred times the man Ed is," Michonne insisted.

"Well, it's not hard to imagine," Maggie said with a shrug. "It's just so soon."

"Not for me," Carol said with a shrug. "I was so sure I had to wait and have all of this 'me' time after I got my divorce, but Daryl's been there for me through all of this. I just want to be with him. I want our family together. That's all I care about." She placed her hand on her stomach. Maggie's eyes welled with tears, and Michonne nudged her shoulder.

"What?" Maggie sniffled. "That's so beautiful."

"I don't miss those hormones," Michonne laughed.

"Oh, just wait. Next time you get pregnant, we'll be there to tease you," Carol giggled, making a face.

"Oh no. No more. Andre and Judith are more than enough, and Carl's in that angsty tween phase where everything is just the end of the world." Michonne rolled her eyes. She flashed a look at Carol. "Just wait until you've got three of them. God help you if you're carrying girls."

"Oh God," Maggie laughed.

"What?" Carol asked. "Come on, you have to tell me. I was an only child."

"Well," Maggie laughed, "Beth and I were a few years apart, but we fought so much."

"Oh yeah. Mariah—that's my sister—we hated each other 'til we were both grown," Michonne laughed. "Trust me, sisters can be best friends and the worst enemies. For your sake, I hope you get at least one boy in the mix."

"Boys are easier?"

"Not necessarily," Michonne said with a laugh. "Andre The Destroyer is a pretty great kid, but he's the kind of boy that likes to pretend he's Godzilla and stomp on his toys."

"You make it sound fabulous," Carol said with a grin. "Well, Sophia was a great kid. I swear, if I could have a thousand Sophias, I would." Maggie and Michonne's laughter sobered a little. "Grace is pretty special. She's getting so big, and I just…I worry about her. I worry about these babies."

"Worrying doesn't help," Maggie said gently.

"I know," Carol said quietly. "But when you've already lost one child, you wonder if you'll lose the others the same way." She placed her hand over her belly. "At least once a week I wake up in a cold sweat wondering if these babies might get sick, too."

"Don't do that to yourself," Michonne murmured. "You can't think like that."

"I know. I just can't help it."

"You talked to Daryl about it?" Maggie wondered.

"No," Carol said with a shake of her head. "I don't want to worry him. I think I worry enough for the boy of us. Maybe he worries about it too and doesn't want to tell me. I don't know." She gave a little shrug and blinked back a few tears.

"Listen," Michonne said quietly, "you have found the man of your dreams. You've got a great little girl. You've got two babies on the way, and you're getting _married_ tomorrow. You've got all the happiness in the world right at your feet, so you stop worrying and stop focusing on what _could _happen. Just think about tomorrow and how twenty-four hours from now, you'll be Carol Dixon and you can get rid of the last little bit of Ed Peletier in your life."

Carol swallowed hard and nodded her head. "You're right."

"Damn right I am," Michonne grinned. "C'mon, girls. What's next? Dirty Dancing or Ghost?"

"Oh," Maggie murmured. "That's cruel. How can you pick? They're both…"

"Ghost," Michonne and Carol blurted out together. Maggie raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, Ghost it is," Maggie said with a nod. "I take it you two have a thing pottery scene."

"Are you kidding? I'm thinking of getting a pottery wheel for the house just so I can trick Daryl into reenacting that scene." With that, Michonne and Maggie burst into fits of laughter, and Carol soon joined them, deciding to put her fears and worries aside for one night and enjoy this time with her friends.

"The hell is this place?" Daryl muttered, stepping into the little hole in the wall bar that Glenn had talked him and Rick into going to. Instead of hanging out at the house and drinking and staring at each other, Glenn had had the bright idea of going to a bar and getting drunk.

"It's called _Axel_'s," Glenn pointed out. "Took Maggie here on our second date."

"And she married you?" Rick asked, a little surprised.

"Hey," Glenn shot back, "we came to play pool. Had a good time." A rather rough-looking guy in a torn, dirty shirt bumped into Glenn as he made his way to the bathrooms, and Glenn nearly fell over. Daryl snorted, and Rick rolled his eyes.

A few drunken laughs from the back of the bar lingered in the air like the heavy smoke that swirled around them when they walked in the door.

"C'mon. Let's just a few drinks and then we'll get outta here," Glenn urged despite his sudden keen awareness that they were totally out of place in a dive like this. Still, he made his way over to the bar, shoulders back, trying to make himself look bigger than he was, and Daryl and Rick looked at one another as if silently begging the question of who would be picking Glenn up off the bar floor that night? He'd ever get there from drinking too much or getting his ass kicked by a guy twice his size.

"Let's just get this shit over with," Daryl muttered, following Glenn with Rick trailing right along behind. The three of them took a seat at the bar, where some skinny guy with stringy blonde hair was wiping glasses off with a worryingly dirty looking cloth.

"Name's Axel. You boys ain't from 'round here."

"Sure we are," Rick said with a low chuckle. "You and me go way back, Axel." Axel leaned forward, peering into the smoke around them, and he chuckled nervously, backing up.

"Oh, hey there Sheriff. What can I get for ya? It's on the house."

"Oh, none for me, thanks. I'd like to buy the groom a drink." He clapped Daryl on the back, and Daryl nearly choked on the handful of peanuts he'd taken a risk in eating.

"Sure. What'll it be?"

"Gimme a beer," Daryl said with a shrug. Beer sounded safe enough. It came in safe little sealed glass bottles that didn't have to be poured into mugs. He coughed when his tongue rolled over something mixed in with the peanuts, and he realized quickly that somebody had used the bowl as an ashtray. He gagged and spat it out on the floor, and Glenn's face turned a little green at what he saw come out of Daryl's mouth.

"That's nasty, dude," Glenn laughed. "I'll take a rum and coke."

"Oh, see, Rhee's walkin' on the wild side tonight," Daryl snorted.

The three of them sat at the bar having a couple of beers, and it wasn't long before Daryl excused himself.

"Gotta take a piss," he muttered, flicking his belt buckle for good measure. Daryl stood, his head swimming from the bad beer and the stink of some low life sitting close by, and he made his way to the back of the bar where the men's room door was marked with expletives in permanent marker, clearly from inebriated patrons.

He tried the knob, but it was locked, and he groaned and leaned against the wall, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. He was truthfully trying to stop, and he'd vowed to be completely smoke-free by the time the twins arrived, but tonight, he was really craving a smoke, she he decided to have one.

He lit one up and took a long drag, closing his eyes for a moment, letting out a stream of smoke. He heard the toilet flush and the door knob rattled. Just as he was moving aside, the face on the other side of the door came into focus, and Daryl stumbled back against the wall feeling like someone had punched him in the gut.

"Jesus Christ," the man rasped is a low, slow drawl, a befuddled grin spreading over his face. "That you, Darylena?" Daryl felt his hands go numb, and his cigarette dropped from his fingers onto the floor below.

"Merle?"

"I'll be damned," Merle laughed, clapping his brother on the shoulder. "Baby bro. You look good!" Merle staggered back a little, and Daryl could see his eyes were bloodshot. His teeth looked a bit worse for wear when he pulled his lips back as he laughed. Probably from the meth, Daryl thought darkly.

"You don't," Daryl said evenly. "You still usin'?"

"Well," Merle said with an exaggerated shrug, "ain't nobody's perfect. How's my niece?"

"She's big," Daryl said quietly.

"Ain't like I'd know."

"Don't put that shit on me. I told you. You clean up, you can come around. Where you stayin'?"

"Here and there," Merle chuckled. "What's new with you?"

"I'm gettin' married tomorrow," Daryl murmured, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.

"No shit," Merle laughed. "Darylena finally found his balls and got himself a woman. What's she like?"

"Ain't talkin' 'bout her with you," Daryl replied.

"Oh, she must be somethin' special," Merle said with a nod, rubbing his scruff-covered chin. "Lemme guess. She's a good girl. She ain't some perky blonde with big tits. No, Darylena don't go for the hot ones, 'cause they only go for 'ole Merle."

"Fuck you," Daryl spat. "You ain't changed."

"I'm just fuckin' with ya, little brother," Merle laughed. "You ain't changed neither. Still the uptight little shit who can't take a fuckin' joke."

"You don't know a thing about me, Merle," Daryl said with a shake of his head. "You ain't never gonna know your niece or my wife 'cause you're too fuckin' selfish. All you think about is where you're gettin' your next fix and how soon you can get it." Daryl swallowed hard, pushing his way past his brother.  
>"S'your loss anyway."<p>

"Daryl," Merle called out, as Daryl walked away. "Hey, wait a minute." Daryl turned.

"Take care of yourself, bro. It's what ya do best, ain't it?" Daryl asked, turning and walking away. When he got back out into the bar, Glenn and Rick were just getting up from their stools. Rick turned to see Daryl stalking over.

"Thought you fell in," he murmured.

"Let's get the fuck outta here," Daryl grunted, tossing a fifty down on the bar.

"What happened?" Glenn asked, peering over toward the back where Merle was leaning against the juke box watching the three of them. "Who's that?" Daryl turned to look at Merle for a moment before shrugging his shoulders.

"Beats me. I don't know him." He took off toward the door, and Glenn and Rick looked at one another in bemusement before heading off after Daryl.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Carol took a couple of deep breaths as she looked herself over in the mirror. She'd chosen a simple creamy white dress with a lavender ribbon tied around her middle, just above the bulge of her stomach and under the curve of her breasts.

Maggie was running her fingers through Carol's hair, styling it in a way that went with the lovely, delicate garment she wore. Michonne was scratching at her shoulder.

"Stop," Carol urged. "You're going to break out."

"I don't do dresses," Michonne grumbled.

"You look amazing. Seriously." Michonne had tied her braids up into a beautiful style, and she wore a lavender dress the shade of the ribbon Carol wore. "Besides, you need to practice."

"Excuse me?!" Michonne asked with a nervous laugh.

"Yep, you're next," Carol teased.

"Never been married, don't plan on getting married," Michonne said with a confident nod.

"Yeah," Maggie laughed. "That's what I said. Then I met Glenn. And I still said it until he proposed."

"Did the boys get here?" Carol asked, hurrying over to the window to take a peek outside.

"Get your bridal butt back over here," Michonne scolded, tugging Carol by the hand. "Yes, they're here. They clean up good."

"Daddy even shaved," Maggie said, raising an eyebrow. "He's been trying this whole beard thing out the last couple months. Ever since I was little, I never saw a whisker on my dad's chin. He said he's about to be a grandpa, so he ought to start lookin' like one." Carol laughed at that.

"I'm honored that he's marrying us today," Carol said softly. "I just wish my own dad was here to give me away." She smiled sadly. "He'd have loved Daryl."

A coo from the playpen in the corner caught Carol's attention, and she grinned, hurrying over to scoop up Grace into her arms.

"Hi sweetheart!" she cooed, kissing the baby's chubby cheeks. Grace was dressed in an adorable, tiny version of a flower girl dress, and Michonne was going to carry her and hold her during her parents' vows. "Today's a _very_ big day. Yes. Mama and Daddy are getting married."

"And some would say '_about time_,'" Michonne teased, leaning over to kiss the top of Grace's fuzzy head.

"Oh stop," Carol giggled. "You'll mess up her hair." She smoothed the baby's soft hair back down, and Grace giggled.

"Okay, okay," Maggie said quickly. "It's time. Maid of honor, you wanna do the honors?" Michonne nodded and hurried over and pulled a box out from under the bed.

"What's all this?" Carol asked gently, moving to place Grace in the playpen before going to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Something old," Michonne murmured softly, lifting one item from the box. It was simple silver bracelet.

"It looks familiar," Carol murmured, taking the item into her hands.

"That old photo of my parents on my living room wall," Michonne said with a smile. "It was my mother's. My dad bought it for her the day I was born, and it means a lot to me and my mama. She says it brings good luck, and I know you don't need it, but it wouldn't hurt, right?" Carol's eyes shimmered with tears, and Michonne nudged her knee. "And I want it back, so it's old _and_ borrowed."

"Oh, thank you," Carol said softly. "I'm honored."

"And if you lose it and she finds out, she'll hunt me down and guilt trip me for the rest of my life, so be careful," Michonne added playfully. Carol chuckled and nodded, slipping it onto her wrist.

"Next," Maggie offered, gently strumming her fingers on the box.

"Something new," Michonne murmured, lifting a locket necklace out of the box. She handed it to Carol. "Open it." Carol gently pried it open with her manicured nails, and she put her hand over her mouth at the first glimpse of the picture inside. It was a photo of Sophia with that big, silly grin that she always pulled when she was happy. "So you can feel Sophia close to your heart today."

"Oh God," Carol whimpered. "It's beautiful. Thank you so much." Michonne helped Carol slip it on, and Maggie pulled the last item out of the box.

"Something blue," Maggie said with a tearful grin, those pregnancy hormones having nothing on her 'always cry at weddings' hormones. It was a blue handkerchief. "Because you're going to need it. Daryl looks amazing but nervous, so Glenn and I are counting on him crying. If he cries, you won't be able to hold it together."

"You're right about that," Carol laughed, wiping at her eyes. "You two have been wonderful. Thank you so much." First, she hugged Maggie and then she moved to Michonne, giving her a tighter squeeze. "Thank you both for being here with me today." She took a few deep breaths and felt one of the babies kick in her belly, and her heart swelled with happiness.

A soft knock came to the door, and Beth Greene walked in, her eyes darting around apprehensively.

"The guys are ready," Beth said softly. "They're waiting in the meadow." Carol nodded.

"Thank you, Beth," she said gently. Beth nodded, flinching a little.

"You look really beautiful," she said softly, and Carol gave the young girl a little smile.

"Thank you," she murmured, picking Grace up out of the playpen again. "Can you let them know we'll be there soon?"

"Sure," Beth said quickly before hurrying out of the room. Michonne raised an eyebrow, and Maggie sighed softly.

"She'll be alright," Maggie murmured. "She's just had a huge crush on Daryl for the past year. It's puppy love. She'll get over it." Carol figured that was probably why Beth had never completely warmed up to her, but she just gave a little nod.

"I'm ready," she whispered, bouncing Grace in her arms as the nerves began to coil up inside of her. She had nothing to worry about, but she supposed it was only natural for a woman to get a case of the nerves before standing up and pledging herself to someone forever. A few deep breaths later, and Carol took a step toward the door.

"Alright," Michonne beamed. "Let's go get you married."

Daryl shifted uncomfortably and tugged on his tie, feeling like it was choking him.

"Dude, would you stop fidgeting?" Glenn asked, moving to fix his tie. "You nervous?"

"Ain't nervous," Daryl grumbled. "Just ain't used to dressin' up like this."

"Yeah, well, you're doing it for the gorgeous pregnant woman who is carrying _your_ twins," Glenn pointed out. "Uh, by the way, don't tell Maggie I called Carol gorgeous. She's extra emotional lately."

"Yeah, you're tellin' me," Daryl snorted. "I washed the dishes after dinner the other night, and Carol started cryin' like I gave her a damned bouquet of flowers or somethin'."

"Oh, just wait," Rick chimed in. "After the babies are here, it gets worse."

"It does?" Daryl asked nervously.

"Oh yeah. I remember after Lori had Carl. She cried 'cause she was convinced the baby hated his name."

"No shit?" Glenn asked.

"No shit," Rick muttered. "She was sure that it was the wrong name and that we'd ruined his life by naming him that." Rick clapped both men on the shoulders. "Good luck with that, gentlemen." Hershel was standing off nearby practicing what he would say when Beth came hurrying over.

"They're on their way," she chirped, looking directly at Daryl like the other guys weren't there at all."

"Thank you, Bethy," Hershel said, moving over to give his youngest daughter a hug. Rick noticed Beth watching Daryl, but Daryl was too busy untying his tie again. He smirked and muttered something to Daryl about having his own little fan club, and Daryl promptly told him to shut the fuck up.

"Would you quit?!" Glenn asked in exasperation, as Daryl continued to fidget with his tie. "Carol's gonna be walk down the aisle to marry hobo Joe over here." He fixed Daryl's tie again. "Better. Now stop."

"You're gonna be a great mom, Rhee," Daryl teased.

"Fuck off."

"Oh, big words, little man." Glenn punched Daryl in the shoulder, and Daryl barely moved. Glenn shook his hand, groaning at the ache he now felt in his wrist.

"Awesome, dude. Thanks." At that moment, the girls came walking down from the path by the barn, and that was when Daryl stopped breathing. He saw her carrying a bouquet of white roses, and he wanted to go to her and sweep her up and carry her down the aisle. But he couldn't move. He felt somebody nudge his shoulder, and he knew it had to be Glenn from the direction it came from, but all of his senses seemed to be failing at the moment, and all he could do was watch her eyes light up when she saw him. The smile that spread across her face when she saw him melted his heart. This was the moment he'd been waiting his entire life for. He was ready.

"I ain't good with words," Daryl murmured as they stood facing one another before Hershel and their friends. "Never really knew what I was gonna do with my life, and then everything kinda happened all at once. Gracie was born and then I met you, and I swear it was like I had a glimpse of us ten years down the road. I knew I was gonna fall in love with you. Can't explain it." He took her hand in his. "Carol, I never been more sure of anything in my life. I wanna spend the rest of my life lovin' you and raisin' our family with ya." Carol's lower lip trembled as he spoke, and Michonne stepped up with Grace in her arms and handed Carol a tissue. Carol giggled softly and nodded her thanks before dabbing at her eyes. "I love you." He gently slipped a simple silver band onto Carol's finger, and she curled her fingers with his.

"Carol, what would you like to say to Daryl?" Hershel asked softly.

"I don't even know where to begin," she admitted with a grin. "I had it all planned out in my head, what I'm supposed to say, what I should say. But really, all that matters is that I love you. You've opened me up to parts of myself that I didn't know where there. You've given me strength to be strong when I didn't know I could be. You've filled a place in my heart that I never thought would be filled. You've given me a family, a life, a home to come back to at the end of the day. You've become my best friend, and I will never stop being in awe of everything you've done for me. I love you so much, Daryl Dixon, and I would be proud to call you my husband." She slipped the larger silver band on Daryl's finger, and Hershel cleared his throat.

"Before God and by the powers vested in me and by the state of Georgia, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Daryl, would you like to kiss your bride?"

"Hell yeah," he murmured, as a laugh rose up from the small group. Carol laughed as Daryl pulled her into his arms and planted a kiss on her unlike any kiss he'd ever given her around their friends. Glenn wolf whistled, and when they broke for air, Carol winked at Maggie in a silent code they'd worked out the night before. Maggie quickly took Grace from Michonne's arms, and Carol turned, tossing the bouquet right at Michonne, who reflexively reached out and caught it.

"Oh, that's not right," Michonne exclaimed. "You two plotted. Against _me_?!"

"We learned from the best," Carol said with a happy grin, reaching over to hug her friend. Daryl nudged Rick in the shoulder and nodded toward Michonne.

"You gonna marry her?"

"I don't think we're there yet," Rick said uncomfortably, toeing the dirt with his shiny black shoe. "And I don't see how it's your business." Daryl snorted at that. Yeah, maybe that Rick Grimes wasn't such a bad guy after all.

"Hey, as husband of the best friend of your woman, I'm just tellin' you now," Daryl murmured quietly so that only Rick could hear, "you hurt her, I hurt you. Got that, Sheriff?" Rick nodded.

"Got it. Don't worry. She's the heartbreaker right there." Rick couldn't suppress the grin as he watched Michonne holding the bouquet of white roses. Her smile lit up her face, and he knew that one day, it would be then, but it would take time for them. And he was ok with that.

Rick moved to take Michonne's hand and lead her off, while Daryl fetched his bride, pulling her in close.

"Love you so damn much," he murmured, kissing her lips.

"Me too," she whispered softly, a smile spreading over her mouth.

"Whaddya say, Mrs. Dixon?" he asked softly. "Wanna get outta here?"

"Mrs. Dixon," she hummed. "Oh, I like the sound of that." She kissed him once more, took his hand in hers, and took her first steps into her new life as an official Dixon.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Carol Dixon. The first time she wrote it, it didn't seem real. The second time, she nearly almost signed Peletier again. The third time, it was almost as natural as anything else. She quite liked the sound of it. Carol and Daryl Dixon. Mr. and Mrs. Daryl Dixon. Yes, it certainly had an attractive sound. And waking up every morning as Mrs. Dixon was always a great way to start the day.

The past six weeks had been an incredible, wonderful blur of honeymooning and getting the house ready for Rocky and The Hulk, as Daryl had affectionately nicknamed the twins who seemed to get stronger every day. Daryl loved to lay in bed with his hands on Carol's tummy and feel the babies move around. He was in awe of his wife's body and the way she seemed to be able to carry these two babies with such grace and beauty. She had her complaints and her bad days, but for the most part, she seemed happy. Even happier now that they had begun the process of Carol officially becoming Grace's legal mother. -

Carol was clocking in at thirty two weeks, and Dr. Simpson was hopeful that Carol might just be able to carry the babies to term. She had had a couple of scares in the past week with Braxton Hicks contractions, but other than that, things were pretty uneventful. However, underway was the planning for Grace Dixon's very first birthday party, which just so happened to be in a month.

"This cannot be happening. She's…Daryl, look!" Carol grabbed the camera as Grace let go of the coffee table and took two steps toward her mother. Carol quickly tossed the camera to Daryl, who filmed his little girl's steps. Carol clapped her hands and smiled widely to encourage her daughter to keep coming her way. Grace wobbled for a second before falling down on her bottom. "Aw, sweetie, you took two whole steps! You're such a big girl!" She felt the tears well in her eyes, and Daryl put a hand on her knee. "Oh God, she'll be one next month, and she's walking. She's getting too big. She'll be graduating next week." Daryl snorted at that.

"One thing at a time," he muttered. "We got a one year old graduatin' high school, we're rich." Carol smacked his arm teasingly.

"Oh, you know what I mean. She's getting so big." At eleven months, Grace Dixon had the bluest eyes Carol had ever seen on a baby, and her hair had lightened considerably and now resembled Daryl's in color more than it ever had before.

"Glad she waited for me to get home from work to start walkin'," Daryl commented, watching as Carol stood and held her hands out, and picked up Grace, hugging her close.

"Me too," Carol said softly. "She knew you'd wanna see it. I'm convinced." She winked at her husband, and he leaned in and kissed her. "Oh! Maggie called. She and Glenn found out what they're having."

"Oh yeah?" he asked, taking Grace from Carol and giving her kisses on her chubby cheeks. The baby squealed with delight when her daddy tickled her tummy.

"They're having a boy!"

"Glenn Jr. Yeah, Maggie's gonna have her hands full," Daryl snorted.

"Be nice," she laughed. "Oh! I almost forgot!" She hurried over to the pile of mail on the table in the hall. "This came for you today." Daryl narrowed his eyes as he peered over her shoulder to see the handwriting. It was addressed to him from a County Jail somewhere in southern Georgia. He recognized that handwriting almost as well as he recognized his own.

"It's from Merle," he muttered.

"Your brother? I wonder what it is?" She handed him the letter and took Grace back from Daryl. He didn't open it. He just stared at it. "Aren't you going to open it?"

"I ran into him. Night before our wedding," Daryl explained. Carol's eyes widened, and her mouth formed the shape of an 'o' before she reached out and touched his arm.

"You didn't tell me."

"He was high. He was fucked up. I didn't think it was worth mentioning. He ain't part of my life no more." Carol saw the pain in his eyes when he flashed his gaze up to meet hers.

"He's your brother," she said softly. "I know he still means something to you."

"Yeah, but you mean more. You and Grace and these babies. I don't want him around if he…"

"Just open it. It could be important." Daryl shook his head, torn between ripping the thing up and opening it and finding out what Merle had to say. "You'll never know if you just throw it away." She gave him a quick peck on the lips before taking Grace to put her down for a nap.

With a sigh, Daryl headed out onto the back porch and sat down on a patio chair. He ripped open the envelope and pulled out a piece of notebook paper, edges uneven from being hastily ripped from the wire coil.

_Daryl,_

_You told me not to come around unless I was clean. I'll respect it. Shit, I ain't got no choice in the matter right now. Got myself locked up last night, and I ain't expecting they'll let me go any time soon. Just wanted to tell you I'm proud of you, bro. You got out from the shithole life we had. You made something of yourself. You did what Pop said you couldn't. I know I gave you shit over the years for being the baby of the family, but I tried to look after you. Turns out, you didn't need looking after as much as I did, and I didn't have a big brother for that. You tried. I know you did. But you couldn't fix what was broke in me, and that ain't your fault, so don't worry yourself none. I'm happy for you, bro. I hope your woman's good to her, and if she is, you keep her, because you don't want to wake up when you're pushing fifty like me and find out your whole life's shit. Take care of yourself, bro. You do right by them kids and you raise them to look after each other. Make sure that oldest of yours does better than I did. _

_Merle_

Daryl sat there and read it over and over again before he heard the door open and Carol come walking out. Cherokee slipped past her legs to go run in the back yard, and Daryl looked over his shoulder at his wife.

"Everything ok?" she asked softly. He shrugged and stuffed the letter back in the envelope. "It's ok. You don't have to talk about it."

"I dunno," he muttered. "My brother's always been one to say one thing, do another. He means well, but sometimes he…"

"What is it?" Carol asked gently, sitting down in the chair next to his.

"We shared a place, and I worked to pay the rent. Merle made his money doing what he did best. I knew he was sellin', but I didn't want to rat him out. One night, I found him on the couch. He OD'd. Thought he was dead, and I called 911. That night, I found his stash, flushed everything. Didn't want the cops to find it, didn't want to get him in more trouble than he already was. When he got better, when he came home, I told him he couldn't come back 'til he got clean. He never came back." Carol reached over and gently placed her hand over his.

"You were trying to help him. I'm sure he knew that."

"He couldn't help himself. I just...we both had it bad growin' up. It coulda been me sellin', usin'. It coulda been me dyin' on the couch that night."

"But it wasn't," Carol murmured. She watched him run his fingers through his hair.

"He was here before me. He got the worst of the beatings 'til he got big enough to fight back or run. Then I got 'em. Before she died, mama, as high as she was most'a the time, she didn't even notice the bruises. Just kinda looked past 'em. Merle's come home, and I'd hate him. I'd hate him for not bein' there, 'cause I was the one that got his share of the whippings. I spent a lot of time hatin' him. And then I turned eighteen, and Merle was there. He took me in 'cause I didn't have a place to go. He took care of me, and I felt like I owed him."

"But then you took care of him," Carol pointed out. Daryl gave her a little shrug.

"Yeah. Felt bad for hatin' him. He was just savin' himself. Couldn't do nothin' to save me 'til I was old enough to get out, ya know? Sometimes I feel like I coulda done more to help him get clean."

"Daryl, you can't put that on yourself. He's a grown man. He makes his own choices." She pointed to the letter. "Maybe this will help him turn around."

"He's been in jail before," Daryl said with a scoff. "Ain't never changed him. He did a stint in prison for two years, and he scored his next fix an hour after he walked out the gates." Carol shook her head and gave his hand a squeeze. "Wish my kids had an uncle, ya know? He's a pretty nice guy when he ain't usin'. Got the mouth of a sailor, but I can't talk." A little smile crept up on his face. "Think he could make somethin' of himself if he tried."

"He could," Carol said with a nod. "But that's not up to you. It's up to him." She gave him a little smile. "You love your brother, but you don't want to see him like that. I get it. I understand it. And judging from that letter, I think he does too." Daryl sighed heavily, and Carol got up, moving around behind him, leaning over him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He turned his head to meet her lips with a soft kiss, and when she pulled back and ran her fingers through his hair, she gave him that smile that told him that she'd be there for him, whatever he chose to do regarding his brother.

Then she headed back into the house, leaving Daryl alone with his thoughts and the letter from Merle.

Carol sighed as she lay back on the exam table at the doctor's office. Daryl sat in a chair next to the table with little Grace in his lap. The doctor ran the ultrasound Doppler over Carol's belly, and she nodded and made a few notes in the chart.

"Is everything ok?" Carol asked.

"Great," Dr. Simpson said with a little smile. "They're growing well, but I'm a little concerned about Baby B."

"Somethin' wrong with The Hulk?" Daryl asked. Dr. Simpson gave him a look. "Sorry, just a nickname. It's ok, right?"

"Yes. Everything's fine for now. I'm just a little concerned. The fluid seems a little low. Both babies are head down, which is great, but Baby B's a little lower on amniotic fluid than baby A. That's not necessarily cause for concern, but with a twin pregnancy, we want to take extra precautions." Dr. Simpson wiped the gel off of Carol's stomach, and Carol lowered her shirt, sitting up a little on the table. "I'm going to have to take you off work."

"Okay," Carol said quietly. "I was expecting that."

"And I'm prescribing bed rest until your appointment next week."

"They're gonna be ok, though, right? Carol and the babies?" Daryl stood up, hoisting Grace onto his hip. "I mean…what are we lookin' at here?"

"I'm hoping to get Carol to at least thirty six weeks. We want to hold of delivery until the babies are a little bigger. Thirty-two weeks is a great milestone for twins, so now we can shoot for thirty-four weeks." Carol took a deep breath and nodded.

"I'll stay in bed for the next two months if I have to," Carol said softly, gently rubbing her belly. Daryl could see the worry in her eyes, and he took her hand, giving it a little squeeze.

"Now you need to call me if you experience any contractions that last longer than the Braxton Hicks you've had in the past. You need to call me if you have any spotting. Don't take any chances, just go to the hospital if you start feeling anything unusual."

"I will," Carol said quietly before worrying her lower lip between her teeth. She looked at Daryl, and he gave her a reassuring nod, but nothing could ease the worry she felt for these babies. The last thing she could ever take would be losing another child. These babies had to be ok.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Grace Dixon planted face first into her smash cake, as party guests laughed and giggled at her antics. They'd set out a blanket on the grass and put the little cake out in front of her. First, she'd stuck her foot in it, making a face at the feeling of cool icing on her bare toes. She then reached her hand in and took a fistful of cake, plopped it into her mouth and smiled a neon pink smile. That was when the frenzy took over, and she just dove into her cake, as party guests looked on.

"Aw, she eats like her daddy," Glenn teased, knocking Daryl in the ribs with his elbow. Rick smirked at that, and Daryl shot a look at his friend just as Cherokee went running to lick the icing off of Grace's toes.

"Cherokee!" Carol laughed. "Daryl…" At thirty-six weeks, getting up quickly just wasn't in the cars. Her center of balance was off, and any attempt at getting up required at least thirty seconds of preparation.

"Got it," he laughed, handing the camera off to Glenn and hurrying over to shoo Cherokee away. The dog whimpered but got one last lick in at Grace's feet, and the baby screeched and laughed. Daryl picked Grace up, holding her high in the air, and she promptly grabbed his hair, her cakey-pink fingers smearing goo into his hair.

"Oh, great look, Dixon," Rick snorted, catching Andre as he made a dash for Grace's leftovers. "Ah, not so fast, Mister." Andre shrieked and giggled as Rick turned him upside down, dangling him carefully by the legs.

"You men," Michonne laughed, rolling her eyes as she held a sleeping Judith in her arms. "You're all ridiculous."

"Daddy, down!" Andre squealed, as Rick finally let him go.

The party was almost over. They'd already opened presents, of which Grace was more interested in the wrapping paper and bows. Grace got her own little cake so that she didn't completely demolish the cake for everybody else.

"Alright, everybody inside for cake while I hose this one off," Daryl announced, holding Grace out away from him so she couldn't get anymore icing on him.

"Might wanna take care of that too, before that food coloring turns your hair pink," Glenn chuckled.

"It does that?"

"Never know, bro. Just sayin'. It could happen." Daryl shot a look to Carol, who crinkled her nose in amusement. She stood slowly and put her hand on her back, her body aching. While she was thrilled she'd made it this far into her pregnancy, she was ready to have her body all to herself again. She was ready to not feel like she was large enough to have her own gravitational pull.

She winced as she felt a contraction, and Daryl put his hand on her belly.

"You ok?"

"Yeah," she murmured. "Just a contraction."

"Should we call Dr. Simpson?"

"No," Carol said with a little smile. "It's nothing. It'll pass. It was just a twinge. Promise." She kissed his cheek. "You really do look ridiculous." She motioned toward his pink hair, and he rolled his eyes. "Here, give me Grace, and I'll clean her up in the kitchen. You go get that out of your hair so it doesn't dry."

"You sure?"

"I can take care of it," she assured him. "I feel fine." He wasn't entirely convinced, but he handed Grace over to her. Grace promptly put her hand on Carol's cheek, smearing pink icing all over her. "Oh, thank you, Grace. You just wanted Mommy to match Daddy, huh?" Grace giggled, and Carol carried her into the kitchen to clean her up while Michonne cut the big cake for the guests.

The adults retreated back outside with their refreshments, while Judith, Andre and Grace chased after each other in the yard with Carl playing baby-wrangler, trying to keep them out of trouble.

"You feeling ok?" Michonne asked, peeking over her plate of cake at Carol, who had a strange look on her face.

"Huh?" Carol asked, not really focused on much of anything at that moment.

"You look funny."

"Well, thanks." Carol chuckled.

"No, I mean, you're having contractions, aren't you?"

"Kind of," Carol muttered."

"Kind of?!" Michonne asked.

"Shh!" Carol hissed. "Don't make a big deal of it."

"Didn't the doctor say you needed to go to the hospital if…"

"I know what she said, and we've made it to thirty-six weeks. It's not labor. I'd know if it was labor, ok? I've been here before." Carol drummed her fingers nervously on the patio table. "Besides, I want Grace to have her own birthday, because having your twin siblings born on your birthday probably won't seem so cool when she has to share her sweet sixteen with them. It's like…like having your birthday on Christmas." Michonne rolled her eyes.

"You're really over thinking this. Those babies are going to come when they're good and ready. Your having back labor, aren't you?"

"No," Carol protested before wincing again. "Okay, maybe it is."

"Alright, folks. We're movin' this party to the hospital," Michonne announce, standing up quickly.

"What?!" Maggie asked. The sound of busting glass came from the corner, where Daryl had just lost his grip on his beer bottle. He rushed over to Carol's chair.

"It's happening?"

"I…I'm not sure." She shot a glare at Michonne. "It's probably nothing. My back's hurting, and I'm getting contractions here and there." She saw the panic in his eyes, and she gently brushed her hand over his. "Hey, it's ok. It's ok. I'm almost thirty seven weeks. They'll be ok." She was trying so hard to be brave that he couldn't tell if she truly believed what she'd just said or if she was just trying to convince them both.

Maggie hurried over, her belly large and protruding, and she put her hand on Carol's shoulder.

"Glenn and I'll take Grace. Call us, and we'll bring her when you're ready."

"Thank you," Carol said with a brave nod.

Less than a year ago, Daryl Dixon had walked into that bar as forty-five year old man who had lived more than his share of life but still had no idea what he wanted. He was a new dad who had no idea how he was going to take care of and protect this innocent little life that had been dropped into his lap with absolutely zero warning or preparation. He'd been thrust into a world where he was going to raise his daughter and have to explain why she had no mother and inevitably make more mistakes than he cared to think about. And then she'd walked into his life, gorgeous, glowing, a spark of confidence in her eyes and in her voice that turned him on beyond imagination.

When he'd gone to the hotel with her that night, he'd never expected that within a year's time, they'd be married and about to welcome two babies. Life had a funny way of working out sometimes. Now, as he sat at his wife's bedside, holding her hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles and coaching her through the bad contractions, he knew that he had everything he never thought he'd have.

"You're scared," Carol murmured as Daryl wiped her forehead with a damp cloth after a particularly painful contraction.

"I'm ok," he muttered, looking in her eye long enough for her to raise an eyebrow and smirk at him.

"Yeah, that's why your foot's been tapping nervously for the last ten minutes." He looked down and promptly stilled his foot.

"Didn't see any of this with Grace. She was already born when I got here, you know? She was all clean and wrapped up and she was mine." Carol smiled a little and leaned back against her pillow.

"The night Sophia was born, I thought Ed would be a mess. He was so nervous. I was nervous too, but I figured when it came down to it, I'd be calm and focused, and Ed would be the one that would faint on the floor like in the movies." She smiled a little at the memory. "Ed was really good. He kept calm when I had a meltdown. I wasn't prepared. I realized everything I hadn't done, and I realized that we weren't ready to be parents, because we didn't even have the car seat yet." She sniffled. "But when she was born, everything stopped. They put her in my arms, and I just realized that everything I worried about didn't really matter, because she was there, and she was perfect. That was when Ed kind of melted down. He had that epiphany that we had this living, breathing human being to take care of, and we had to keep her safe and feed her and it wasn't going to be cheap. But he did love her. He doted on her. He did. Things were good then. It was probably the best night of our entire marriage."

Daryl watched her as she leaned her head back and closed her eyes as another contraction hit. He sat there quietly as she squeezed his hand and breathed through it, and he considered her strength, how much she'd been through and how much they had overcome together in the last several months. Life had caught them both in a whirlwind, and they'd come out of it far better than they'd ever expected.

A light-knuckle tap at the door alerted them that the nurse was coming. Instead, Dr. Simpson herself walked through. She caught a look from Daryl that told her that Carol was in the throes of a painful contraction, so she checked the monitors and waited it out with them.

When Carol let out a slow breath and opened her eyes, Dr. Simpson gave her a little smile.

"How we doing?"

"They're getting stronger," Carol murmured, rubbing her belly.

"Our monitors at the nurse's station are showing fluctuations in the babies' heart rates. We're going to continue to monitor them, but if it keeps happening, we're going to take you to the OR. I know you want to deliver them naturally, but our game plan is for you two to walk out of here with two healthy babies in a couple of days."

"Do whatever you have to," Carol murmured, gripping Daryl's hand tightly. "I just want them to be ok." Dr. Simpson nodded.

"I'm going to send the nurse in to check you in a few minutes. You're making good progress, Carol. It might still be a little while, if the babies' heart rates stabilize."

"She's really hurtin'," Daryl explained, glancing at the doctor. "Is that normal?" Dr. Simpson shared a knowing look with Carol before turning her attention back to Daryl.

"It's very normal. I can assure you."

"But she shakes sometimes. She don't notice it, but I do, and…"

"Daryl, Carol is doing great, and the shaking happens sometimes. Her blood pressure's fine, her heart rate is perfect, and the babies tolerated that last contraction well. So long as it stays that way, and the babies keep their heart rates up, they should be here in a few hours. It's not over yet, so am I going to have to have my nurses get the smelling salts?" Daryl rolled his eyes at that, and Carol snorted. "Take care of him, Carol. We might have to get a bed for him, too." Dr. Simpson flashed Daryl a teasing smile before heading out of the room.

"You remind me of me when I was having Sophia," she said with a little laugh.

"Don't like seein' you in pain. Wish I could do somethin'."

"You're here. That's what I need right now. Unless you can magically have these babies for me, I don't think there's much else you can do." She gripped his hand again as another wave of pain shot through her, and Daryl watched as her eyes screwed shut and she gritted her teeth and panted through it.

He bowed his head and did the only thing he could do for her in that moment. He hoped. He hoped for her, for their babies, for their family.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

The moment her baby girl was placed into her arms at 12:32 AM, Carol was absolutely in love. Maya Sophia Dixon was born at a whopping 6 pounds 2 oz and had a healthy set of lungs. The moment her daddy saw her, he kissed Carol's forehead and chuckled about how his little girl in no way resembled Rocky, the boxer or the moose. Carol had laughed at that and cried tears of joy as she heard her daughter's loud, healthy cries. Hunter Elias Dixon aka The Hulk made his appearance at 12:47 AM weighing 5 lbs. 10 oz.

"Gracie won't have to share her birthday," Carol said with a little smile, holding a baby in each arm as Daryl sat on the edge of the bed, gently stroking the fuzzy, reddish hair on top of his son's head.

"She'll thank you for that in like fifteen years," Daryl chuckled. "You feelin' ok?"

"I feel great," Carol said softly. Despite the dark circles under her eyes, she was smiling and happy. It was nearly three in the morning, and while everybody had been called to inform them of the births, they'd asked for no visitors until later in the morning. "I can't believe they're here." She kissed Hunter's forehead. "Hunter reminds me of Sophia a little. She had that same nose."

"S'your nose," Daryl said with a little grin. "Maya looks like Grace. She's got darker hair like Gracie had."

"They're perfect," Carol whispered. "I can't believe they're…they're ours." She sniffled and kissed Maya's forehead. "I never thought I'd feel this again, you know?"

"You were amazin'. Never saw nothin' like it." Carol gave him a little smile.

"Here," she whispered softly. "You want to take your son?" Daryl nodded, watching the baby boy's face in awe as he drew him into his arms.

"Don't know what I'm gonna do with a boy. Never really thought I'd have a son. Kinda figured they'd both be girls." Carol smiled at that.

"We're both in new territory then, I suppose." Daryl moved to sit in the chair by Carol's bed, and he gently rocked the baby back and forth in his arms, in awe of this new little life. "We'll be a'right. Won't we, kiddo?" The baby made a grunting sound, and Carol's eyes welled at the sight of Daryl with their son. The males were still outnumbered in their growing family, but at least they had each other.

"Thank you," Carol said softly, as she fan her finger gently over Maya's hand. "Thank you for giving me our family."

"You helped too," he pointed out, getting a chuckle out. "A lot, if I remember."

"Daryl Dixon!" she laughed. "That's no way to talk in front of the babies." He caught her teasing tone and the wink she gave him, and he smiled, cradling his son to his chest, feeling perfectly at peace and ready to start this new chapter in their lives.

"Oh my God," Michonne cooed, leaning over the two little beds in the hospital room. "God, Carol, he looks just like you."

"He does, doesn't he?" Carol asked with a grin. "He's got his daddy's eyes though."

"How're you feeling?" she asked, moving over to give Carol a big hug.

"Sore," Carol admitted. "But happy. Daryl went to get a change of clothes for me. We kind of left the party without an overnight bag."

"Sorry about that. I should have brought you something," Michonne said with a chuckle.

"It's alright. These hospital gowns are a lot more comfortable than I remember them being." Carol stood up slowly, looking down almost in awe of the fact that she could see her feet again. She was going to have to get used to her center of gravity being a bit different, too. "Her middle name's Sophia." Carol nodded toward Maya. "I want her to know that she had another big sister before Grace came along. I want her to know that Sophia would have loved her."

"She would have," Michonne said with a grin. "She always asked you for a baby sister."

"Yeah," Carol murmured, biting her lip for a moment before she moved to sit in the chair. The bed was just getting to be too much. She groaned softly as she sat, and she adjusted herself so she was more comfortable. "I'm a little scared."

"Of what?"

"Of everything," Carol admitted. "They're healthy. They're perfect. So was Sophia when she was born."

"Hey," Michonne said softly, reaching out and taking Carol's hand. "You just remember that this is your second chance. You and Daryl and your kids? This is it, Carol, and just 'cause it ended wrong the first time doesn't mean it will this time. You gotta live and not let the past haunt you."

"You're way too insightful sometimes, you know that?" Carol asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Yeah, and where would you be if I wasn't?" Michonne teased. "You're my best friend, and I'm going to be there to make sure you're looking forward if I have to kick your butt every damned day."

"Promise?" Carol asked.

"I promise. Oh, and here." She gave Carol a piece of paper with a phone number written on it.

"What's this?"

"The number of the best babysitter in town. I take it Beth Greene's not taking Grace anymore?"

"Uh, no," Carol said with a blush. "That would be a little awkward, wouldn't it?"

"Right," Michonne laughed. "Her name is Jacqui, and she's wonderful. She watched Andre when his grandparents couldn't before Rick and I moved in together. Now I get free babysitting 24/7."

"You know Carl's gonna demand an allowance raise one of these days."

"He can demand it," Michonne said with a raised eyebrow. Carol shook her head.

"You've got your hands full."

"Yeah, we both do, huh?" Michonne sighed and untucked her silver necklace from her blouse, revealing a stunning diamond necklace.

"Oh my God!" Carol exclaimed. "Is that…"

"He proposed last night."

"So why isn't it on your hand?"

"Because I'm not ready to share it yet. Carl knows. Andre doesn't really understand, but he calls Rick daddy, since he barely ever sees his own daddy anymore. I just wanted you to know, because you're my sister, and I love you." Carol's eyes welled with tears at that moment, and Michonne tossed a pack of tissues at her. "Don't you dare, because I just can't take anymore tears today."

"Well, sorry to disappoint you," Carol sobbed, dabbing at her eyes.

"Damned hormones," Michonne grinned.

"Tell me about it." Carol sniffled and blew her nose. "Thank you for telling me, Mich."

"And you're going to be my maid of honor, right?"

"If you can fit me into the dress, sure!"

"Please. You snapped back after Sophia, you will this time too. Besides, if I have to wear the big frilly dress and look like an idiot, so do you." Carol made a face at her, and Michonne winked. "I'm so happy for you and Daryl."

"Me too," she murmured, peering over at her sleeping babies. "Wouldn't change a thing."

Three months later…

Carol squirmed in the passenger's seat as she tried to peek out from beneath the blindfold that Daryl had tied around her head, shielding her eyes from wherever it was he was taking her to.

"Maggie, I promise," Carol said with exasperation into the phone, "it's totally normal. He's just got his days and nights mixed up. He's two days old. I promise. It gets better. Oh, sweetie, it's ok. Don't cry. Just…okay. Okay. Yeah, I'll talk to Glenn."

"Hello?" he asked in desperation.

"Glenn, go hug your wife."

"What?"

"Trust me. Just hang up the phone and hug your wife. Tell her it's going to be ok."

"Is it?" he asked. "Because I'm not so sure."

"Glenn, I promise you," Carol said with a little laugh, "you can do this. You and Maggie are going to be great parents. Just go hug your wife, and I promise you'll be ok." Glenn muttered something about being willing to try anything before the line went quiet.

"How're the happy parents?" Daryl asked from the driver's seat.

"Aiden has his days and nights mixed up," Carol said with a sigh.

"Sucks," Daryl said with a chuckle. "Thank God Hunter got over that." For the first two weeks after they'd brought the twins home from the hospital, Maya would be awake most of the day and sleep most of the night, and Hunter was completely the opposite. Carol and Daryl had run themselves ragged, but somehow, in the end, Hunter had started sharing Maya's schedule, making life so much easier.

"Now will you tell me?"

"Nope."

"Alright, so we've left our kids with a sitter so you can drive me around Georgia in a blindfold and refuse to answer any questions?"

"Pretty much," he said with a shrug, which she obviously couldn't see. Soon, the car slowed and came to a halt. Carol could hear the sounds of busy traffic, and she chewed her lower lip nervously.

"Are we on the freeway?" Daryl snorted at that.

"Not even close, woman." He hopped out of the car and moved to her side to open the door for her. He took her hand and helped her out.

"Such a gentleman." She felt his hand on her lower back, and a familiar tingle ran up her spine.

Soon, they were inside of a building, and then they were on an elevator, and Carol sighed as she tried to place the elevator music.

"I've definitely been here before."

"Oh yeah," he said with a chuckle. "You have."

"Where are we?"

"Nope."

"_Daryl_," she whined, her hand tugging at his sleeve.

"Nope. Stop askin'." She sighed and resigned herself to a surprise. When the elevator doors slid open, Daryl led her down the hall and to a door. She chewed her lip nervously, and she heard the slide of a key card and the unlocking of a door. Suddenly, it dawned on her.

"Oh," she gasped. Daryl led her inside, flipping the light on and untying the blindfold from her eyes. She gasped when she looked around to find herself in the very room they'd gotten their very first night together. "Oh my God. You didn't!"

"1307. Same room," he murmured. She sighed and noticed a bucket of ice with champagne chilling on the bedside table.

"You're amazing," she whispered against his lips, pulling her arms around his neck.

"Little over a year ago, I walked into this room with ya, and I had the most amazin' night of my life. We got started here, and I ain't ashamed of that. I'll never regret a thing that happened between us that night, 'cause look at us now."

"A couple of old marrieds," she grinned, tears in her eyes.

"Wanted to bring ya back here to let ya know that you'll always be just as beautiful to me as ya were that night. I love ya."

"I love you so much," she whispered, kissing him again. She looked around that room as he led her to the bed, and she thought about how this room had only been intended to hide an indiscretion, but it had ended being the place where something stronger and more special than she ever would have thought possible began.

He drew her into his arms and pressed soft kisses to her neck and her collarbone. She moaned softly, running her hands down his back, pushing into him as his teeth nipped at her soft skin. She arched her neck, biting her lower lip as she gave him further access to kiss his way up her neck.

She gently pushed at his chest, walking him backward toward the bed. He pulled back, seeing the gleam in her eye as she began to kiss his neck, and he gasped when she gently sucked at his adam's apple. They fell back against the mattress, her straddling his waist, and she kissed him, her tongue sliding between his lips. She sighed at the familiar sensation of his kisses, something they'd all but perfected in the weeks after the twins' births. Given that a good ole high school make out was all they could do for several weeks, they'd gotten quite creative, and Carol knew she could spend hours just focusing on his amazing mouth, but right now, she needed more. When it came to Daryl, she always wanted more. More of his mouth on her, more of him inside of her, more of his arms around her. It had been too long, this time, and her nerves coiled inside of her as that ache grew deeper and bolder.

His hands were on her waist, sliding her shirt up. She grabbed the edges and lifted it over her head, tossing it to the side as he worked with the button of her jeans. They took very little time undressing each other, needing to feel the warmth of each other's skin against their own. When Daryl kicked his jeans off onto the floor, he flipped his wife onto her back and crawled over her, kissing his way up her stomach to her neck. She giggled as his stubble tickled her skin, but the moment he looked up into her eyes, the laughter stopped, and she saw the desire and the hunger in his eyes.

A warmth spread through her and warmed her skin when she saw how he still wanted her just like it was the first time all over again. He took his time, moving his hand between her legs, stroking her, hearing that soft sigh she always let out when the pressure began to build inside of her.

He kissed her thighs before tasting her, and her hips moved sharply off the mattress. He gently pressed on her stomach, holding her down as he circled her clit with his tongue. When she cried out, he took his time kissing his way up her body again, wanting her to be ready.

"Now," she murmured, her nails digging into his shoulders as his erection pressed against her entrance. He pushed in slightly, getting a gasp from her, but when she relaxed, he continued. She bit her lower lip, groaning softly as he slid into her, taking it slow and letting her feel every inch of him filling her.

She opened herself up to him, taking him in as far as she could, moaning softly as he began to move inside of her. She arched her back when she felt his mouth on her breast. Pushing herself into him, she wrapped a leg around his hips and met his thrusts with her own.

They moved together like it was the first time, like it was the last time, memorizing every detail, never getting enough.

"I missed you," she murmured softly as they lay together afterward.

"You ok?" he asked softly.

"Perfect," she breathed, giggling softly and kissing his neck.

"Didn't hurt you?"

"No," she promised. They hadn't been able to make love since the twins were born, and she'd thought that perhaps there was something wrong with her. Dr. Simpson had simply explained that some women heal faster after the birth than others. Daryl had certainly been patient with her, but she had gotten very impatient with herself.

When she'd explained to him that morning that she'd wanted to give it a try, he'd gone out of his way to make the day special, even getting the babysitter to come watch the kids so he could have his wife to himself for a few hours.

Now, she was smiling as his hand moved down her hip, gently caressing her. "Can I make a request?"

"We do requests now? Or are ya tellin' me what I need to do better?" he snorted.

"Stop," she giggled. "Take me camping. Back to that quarry you took me to before?"

"You wanna go back there?"

"Yeah," she said softly. "It was beautiful. Just…surprise me on our anniversary."

"You're tellin' me to take you to the quarry as a surprise on our anniversary?" he asked, a bit bemused.

"I'll act surprised," she promised. "I want to go back there with you." Daryl couldn't help but smile as she peered up at him with those beautiful blue eyes of hers.

"Take you anywhere you want. You know that." He kissed her softly, and she gently stroked his chest.

"I know," she murmured. She yawned and snuggled up against his chest, letting the calming drum of his heart beat lull her to sleep.

It was a night like most. Cherokee was sleeping at the foot of the bed. The soft hum of the humidifier from the nursery crept into the room. Daryl sat on the floor of Grace's room with her curled up in his lap and a book spread out in his hands. Carol listened on the monitor as Daryl read her the story of the Three Little Pigs. She couldn't help but smile as she finished feeding Maya her bottle, recalling the night she'd heard him singing to his daughter.

"Okay," Carol cooed, kissing Mara's tiny feet. The baby giggled and pumped her legs, squealing with delight when Carol tickled her tummy. "Bed time for you, little lady. Your brother's out like a light, and you're going to be a big girl and sleep all night so mommy and daddy can rest, right?" The baby grunted. "Good girl. Mama loves you so much." She placed the baby down in her crib and checked on Hunter, who was sleeping soundly and hopefully would be for the next several hours.

She heard Daryl ending the story, so she headed down the hall to join him in tucking Grace in. She was already sleeping before Daryl got her in her crib, and Carol moved up behind Daryl to wrap her arms around his waist, resting her head against his back.

"She went out 'fore I got the story finished."

"Yeah, she does that sometimes."

"Just glad she lets me read it to her now. She used to only let you do it," he chuckled.

"I think she's thrilled to have either one of us just to herself for a few minutes. The house is overrun by babies."

"Yeah, didn't we used to have grown up friends?" Daryl kidded, turning and pulling her into a hug. They kissed for a moment, and Carol pulled back.

"By the way, Michonne called me today," Carol said with a beaming smile.

"Yeah? What'd she say?"

"Oh, just that there'll be another Grimes in about eight months."

"Ah, hell, another one?"

"Oh come on, you know you love Rick," Carol teased. "Besides, who are we to talk? We have three in diapers."

"Good point," he snorted, resting his hands on her hips and kissing her again. "You're happy, right?"

"You kidding?" she asked, raising an eyebrow and cocking her head to the side. "I'd forgotten what 'happy' was until I met you. I'm only just beginning to understand how all this 'happy' is supposed to work." Daryl chuckled at that, and they kissed again. Yeah, this happy thing was definitely something they could both get used to.

The End

Author's Note: A big, huge shout out to TheWalkingCaryl who gave me encouragement and advice behind the scenes. I am so thankful that you were willing to read and give feedback and help me when I got stuck in this story. Thanks so much!

Thanks to everybody who read and stuck with me through this story. I had SO much fun writing it, even if I did struggle here and there with a few things. I am going to miss writing it, but more than that, I'm going to miss getting some of the most priceless reactions that I've read in the feedback. Haha, you guys are great, and you make me smile. J Thanks again everybody. As always, Caryl on!


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